Iranian media announced on Friday that authorities had seized a foreign oil tanker near Qeshm Island in the Gulf region. Reports stated that the reason for the seizure was that the tanker was carrying nearly 4 million liters of smuggled fuel.
Although the authorities did not disclose the name of the ship or its nationality, they indicated that 16 foreign crew members were being held on criminal charges. State television reported that the seizure took place on Wednesday, and Iranian media published footage and images purporting to be of the seized tanker.
This arrest comes just days after Tehran announced the seizure of another tanker carrying 6 million liters of smuggled fuel in the Gulf of Oman, without providing details about the tanker’s identity or nationality.
These measures come in the context of Iranian efforts to combat fuel smuggling by land and sea. It is worth noting that fuel prices in Iran are among the lowest in the world, as a result of significant government subsidies and a sharp decline in the value of the local currency.
