Iranian border guards, in coordination with the navy, have seized a tanker carrying more than 2 million liters of what authorities described as smuggled diesel fuel in the Gulf of Oman, state media reported on Monday.
The vessel, identified as Phoenix and sailing under the flag of a third country --Cook Islands -- was intercepted in Iran’s exclusive waters near Jask, said Ahmadali Goudarzi, commander of the border guards.
He said the operation was carried out following aerial surveillance and electronic monitoring that indicated an alleged large-scale smuggling attempt.
Authorities said 17 foreign nationals on board were detained and transferred to Jask for legal proceedings.
The cargo’s value was estimated at 759 billion rials (about $840,000), according to state media.
Iran has stepped up maritime enforcement in recent months, especially in waters near the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, where fuel smuggling remains a persistent issue due to price differences with neighboring countries.
In April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it had seized a tanker carrying 100,000 liters of smuggled fuel and detained six people, according to Fars News Agency. That followed a separate operation in which two tankers allegedly transporting more than 3 million liters of diesel were intercepted and taken to the port of Bushehr.
The IRGC regularly announces such seizures as part of what it calls efforts to curb fuel trafficking in the region, a key route for global oil shipments. Iran has also seized tankers over maritime disputes or in response to international sanctions enforcement.
