Iranian authorities announced the interception of a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which allegedly was carrying smuggled fuel. There were 18 crew members on board. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to the Iranian state-controlled Fars news agency, UNN reports.
Details
According to Iranian media, citing Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the judiciary in Hormozgan province, there were about 6 million liters of fuel on board the tanker, which corresponds to approximately 37,000 barrels.
Mojtaba Ghahremani stated that 18 crew members were detained, and the vessel was carrying about 6 million liters of fuel, which is approximately 37,000 barrels. He did not specify the cargo's destination, the vessel's nationality, or the time of detention.
This incident occurred shortly after the US intercepted a tanker near Venezuela, which, according to the American side, was linked to Iranian oil trade. Tehran has not officially acknowledged a connection between the incidents, but the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the US actions as "state piracy" and threatened consequences.
It is noted that a month earlier, Iran also stopped the tanker Talara, which was passing through the Strait of Hormuz under the flag of the Marshall Islands. According to the vessel's operator, it was later released without cargo.
In general, Iranian security forces regularly detain vessels in the country's southern waters, explaining this as a fight against fuel smuggling.
Recall
Iran reported the seizure of a vessel under the Eswatini flag, which was carrying 350,000 liters of smuggled fuel. The crew of the vessel consisted of 13 people, citizens of India and a neighboring country.