Iran has seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, accusing them of illegally transporting fuel, according to Iranian state television. Reportedly, the incident took place on Thursday, but officials did not reveal the countries the vessels belonged to or the flags they were flying.
What did Iran say about the Oil Tanker seizure?
Gen. Heidar Honarian Mojarrad, a regional commander in the Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces, said the two tankers were carrying nearly 1 million litres of fuel, which is roughly 6,300 barrels, including diesel. He said the ships were intercepted close to Farsi Island and were later moved to the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr, according to AP.
What happened to the 15 crew members?
The general said that 15 crew members from the two tankers have been detained and are now “in custody of judicial bodies.” However, he did not share any details about their nationalities.
Has Iran seized Oil tankers before?
Iran has a history of confiscating oil tankers in the Persian Gulf region on similar fuel-smuggling charges. In December, Iranian authorities seized another foreign tanker while it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz, detaining 16 crew members. A separate vessel was also taken in the same strategic waterway in November.
Past Iran attacks and international accusations
Western countries have previously accused Iran of carrying out attacks on commercial vessels in the region. These include limpet mine attacks on oil tankers in 2019 and a 2021 drone attack on an Israeli-linked tanker, which resulted in the deaths of two European crew members. These incidents followed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement during his first term.
Iran’s Oil Tanker Seizure: Why is the timing important?
The tanker seizure comes just one day before the United States and Iran are scheduled to hold closely watched nuclear talks in Muscat, Oman. Relations between the two countries remain tense, especially after Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests last month, which has further strained diplomatic ties.
