Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf carrying millions of litres of smuggled fuel, in the latest maritime interception announced by Tehran in the strategic waterway.
The vessel was stopped in a “highly coordinated operation,” according to the IRGC-linked Tasnim citing senior navy commander Mohammad Gholamshahi.
“The tanker was carrying 4 million litres of smuggled fuel and was intercepted as it attempted to leave Iran’s territorial waters,” Gholamshahi said, adding that the ship had a crew of 16 non-Iranian nationals and was stopped before leaving Iranian waters.
Iranian officials did not disclose the vessel’s flag, ownership or destination.
The Guards said the crew had been detained and that the case had been referred to judicial authorities for further investigation, with additional inquiries under way to identify networks linked to the smuggling operation.
Iran periodically announces the seizure of vessels accused of fuel smuggling, a trade driven by heavily subsidised domestic fuel prices and compounded by sanctions that restrict formal energy exports.
The latest seizure comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Tehran repeatedly warning that it could restrict or close the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to global markets, in response to military action.
About a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait, making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets.
Gholamshahi asserted that the cargo of the seized tanker had been transferred from smaller boats and was intended to be offloaded to larger ships outside the Persian Gulf.
