Iran announced on Saturday that it had seized a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman suspected of carrying smuggled fuel, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. Mojtaba Ghahremani, chief justice of southern Hormozgan Province, said the vessel carried around 6 million liters of fuel—roughly 37,000 barrels—and that 18 crew members were detained. The cargo’s destination, the tanker’s nationality, and the timing of the seizure were not disclosed.
The interception follows last month’s seizure of the Talara, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which was later released without its cargo. Iranian authorities regularly detain ships in southern waters as part of broader efforts to curb fuel smuggling, and the latest case does not appear to be retaliatory or specifically targeted.
The incident also comes shortly after the United States intercepted a tanker off Venezuela allegedly linked to Iran’s oil trade. Tehran has not confirmed any connection between the two cases, but a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry described the U.S. action as “state piracy” on Thursday and warned of potential consequences, highlighting ongoing tensions over the global oil trade.
