U.S. Considers 18th-Century Prize Law to Seize and Sell Iranian Oil

Source Summary

The U.S. Justice Department and Pentagon are exploring the use of prize law, a historical wartime maritime mechanism, to seize and sell Iranian oil and ships captured during a blockade. Prize law historically allowed courts to determine whether vessels and cargo captured during armed conflict could become U.S. property. The system was once common in naval warfare but has been largely unused for generations.