Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said it had seized an Eswatini-flagged vessel in the Persian Gulf carrying about 350,000 liters of smuggled gasoil, according to state-linked media.
Heydar Honarian-Mojarrad, commander of the IRGC Navy’s Second Naval Zone, said the ship was detained under a judicial order and escorted to the coast of Bushehr for offloading, adding that its 13 crew members were from India and a neighboring country.
Iran, which keeps domestic fuel prices low through subsidies and has seen its currency weaken, regularly announces interceptions of boats accused of moving contraband fuel by sea to Persian Gulf states and by land to neighboring countries.
No details were given on the vessel’s ownership, its last port of call, or the timeline of the operation. Authorities did not specify the fate of the crew beyond the seizure.
The announcement follows other recent actions. On Saturday, authorities near the island of Kish said two vessels carrying a combined 80,000 liters of smuggled fuel were stopped under a judicial order, with prosecutors saying the boats had been modified with extra deck tanks to spirit fuel out of the country.
Officials said they would continue operations against trafficking networks that profit from steep price gaps with neighboring states.
Earlier this month, the IRGC said it had seized a Marshall Islands–flagged tanker off the Makran coast in the Gulf of Oman, after maritime security firms reported a ship being diverted toward Iranian waters by small craft.
Tehran says such operations are conducted under court orders to prevent illegal fuel or cargo transfers. Western officials and shipping sources have accused Iran of at times using maritime enforcement to gain leverage in regional and sanctions-related disputes.
Iran’s coastline and the Strait of Hormuz lie astride one of the world’s busiest energy corridors. Iranian forces have increased patrols there, describing the moves as efforts to safeguard national interests and curb smuggling.
“The continued drying and the cut in permanent flows have brought land subsidence and the death of Gavkhouni to a point of no return and even put drinking water on the threshold of threat,” said Dariush Golalizadeh, the provincial environment department chief.
“The Zayandeh-Roud played a key role in recharging aquifers and preventing subsidence. With multi-year drought and sharply reduced inflows, alongside heavier pumping from wells and wastewater use, subsidence has intensified alarmingly.”
Golalizadeh said the internationally listed Gavkhouni wetland downstream of Isfahan is turning into a dust hotspot. “When the wetland falls apart, it means there are serious problems in water and land management above it.”
He linked the ecological stress to livelihoods, saying orchards, urban green spaces and farmers have been hit across the basin. Authorities are now working on support programs for Isfahan’s eastern districts to soften the blow to agriculture, he said.
The official urged emergency measures to keep minimum flows to the river and wetland.
“At present, because of the sharp drop in river yield, drinking water is under threat,” he said. “We are looking to other sources, but rising temperatures and drought have cut inflows to a minimum.”
Meteorologists say heavy smog will linger over the capital through Tuesday, with fine particulate pollution increasing sharply as calm weather prevents the dispersal of exhaust fumes and industrial emissions.
Officials have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and limit time outdoors, especially at night and in the early morning when pollution peaks.
The city’s weather bureau warned that without stricter limits on factories and traffic, “air quality could reach very unhealthy levels” and health services should remain ready to respond.
The alert on Friday comes as air quality worsens across several major cities, including Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj, Ahvaz, and Mashhad.
Recent readings in Tehran placed fine particulate concentrations well above safe limits, posing risks for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.
Officials say calm winds have turned Tehran into a pollution trap. The Health Ministry estimates nearly 59,000 Iranians die every year from illnesses linked to poor air quality, with economic losses exceeding $17 billion — more than the country’s entire health budget.
Reliance on dirty fuels deepens the crisis
The worsening air coincides with a renewed use of mazut, a heavy, high-sulfur fuel oil, at power plants struggling with gas shortages.
Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi acknowledged the problem, saying the move was a last resort to keep power stations running during peak demand.
Environmental groups warn that relying on mazut — together with aging cars and weak emissions controls — keeps Iran’s major cities locked in a cycle of toxic air and public health damage.
Authorities have advised residents to wear masks, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, and limit vehicle use.
Experts say the combination of outdated fuel systems, traffic congestion, and winter weather patterns means Tehran is likely to face repeated air-quality emergencies unless major reforms — such as investment in cleaner energy and transport — are implemented soon.
