President Lacey’s legal adviser warned that Iran would respond if its ships were seized, echoing the U.S. Justice Department’s statement. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement announcing the seizure of more than 500,000 barrels of Iranian fuel. The U.S. Justice Department said the move was aimed at cracking down on “Iran’s Revolutionary Guards financing network.” “If Iranian ships are seized, we will reciprocate, and legal avenues are not closed in this regard,” legal adviser Mohammad Degan said.