Iran’s judiciary has indicted 17 foreign nationals accused of smuggling fuel after their tanker was seized in the Gulf of Oman in July, the head of Hormozgan province’s justice department said on Wednesday.
Mojtaba Ghahremani said the suspects, from four different countries, were detained when Iranian forces intercepted the vessel east of Hormozgan province. The ship was carrying more than 2.3 million liters of diesel, he said, adding that the case has now been sent to court for trial.
The indictment follows the July 14 seizure, when Iranian border guards and naval units boarded the tanker near the port of Jask. State media later identified the vessel as the Phoenix, sailing under the Cook Islands flag. Authorities at the time said the ship was transporting smuggled fuel, with the cargo valued at roughly $840,000.
Iran has stepped up maritime enforcement in the region, citing large-scale fuel smuggling driven by price differences with neighboring countries. In recent months, the Revolutionary Guard and other security forces have reported multiple operations in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic waterway for global oil shipments.
In April, the IRGC Navy said it intercepted a vessel carrying about 100,000 liters of fuel and arrested six crew members. Around the same time, two other tankers alleged to be transporting more than 3 million liters of diesel were seized and taken to the port of Bushehr.
