Iranian Naval Forces Seize a Foreign Oil Tanker Smuggling Fuel to Arab Countries

Iranian naval forces have seized a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf that was accused of smuggling fuel to Arab countries, according to state media.

A commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was quoted as saying on Sunday that the seized vessel was carrying 700,000 litres of fuel.

Seven crew members, all foreigners, were arrested and taken to the southern port city of Bushehr.

“Some IRGC’s naval forces have seized a foreign oil tanker in the Persian Gulf that was smuggling fuel for some Arab countries,” state TV reported.

Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig, reporting from Iran‘s capital, Tehran, said the tanker was seized on Wednesday near Farsi Island.

“The Revolutionary Guards say that they carried out this operation once they had acquired the appropriate permits from the judiciary.”

Iran is still holding a British-flagged tanker it captured in the Strait of Hormuz for alleged marine violations.

The seizure of the Stena Impero came some two weeks after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accused of breaching European Union sanctions on Syria.