Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seize oil tanker in Persian Gulf – State media

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces have seized an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf over allegations of fuel smuggling, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday.

Fars News Agency said the vessel was intercepted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy and that six individuals were arrested. It did not specify the nationality of the tanker or those detained. Fars added that 100,000 liters of smuggled fuel were discovered during the inspection of the tanker.

The reported seizure follows an operation last month in which the IRGC detained two foreign tankers allegedly carrying over three million liters of smuggled diesel fuel. Those vessels, intercepted by the IRGC’s Second Naval District, were said to be systematically involved in fuel trafficking and were being moved to the port of Bushehr under judicial orders.

The IRGC regularly announces such actions, saying they are part of efforts to combat fuel smuggling in the Persian Gulf, a vital maritime route through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes.

Iran has previously seized tankers over alleged maritime violations or as retaliatory measures.

In April 2023, the Iranian Navy detained the Advantage Sweet, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, in the Gulf of Oman, citing a collision with an Iranian vessel.

In January, Iran seized the St. Nikolas, also Marshall Islands-flagged, in response to a US confiscation of Iranian oil the previous year.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have flared in recent years over a series of maritime incidents in the region, often involving oil shipments and sanctions enforcement.