Iranian state media said Sunday that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces have seized an oil tanker they said was smuggling oil to Arab nations, according to Reuters.
Iran’s Fars news agency reportedly said Revolutionary Guard forces intercepted the ship near Iran’s Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf and detained its crew of seven people of different nationalities.
“The seizure of the oil tanker was in coordination with Iran’s judiciary authorities and based on their order,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ramezan Zirahi told Fars, adding that the ship was carrying 700,000 liters of fuel, according to Reuters.
The incident is the latest of several seizures or interceptions by Iranian forces of vessels they often accuse of smuggling fuel.
In July, Iranian forces seized a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, citing alleged marine violations, shortly after British forces seized an Iranian ship near Gibraltar, accusing it of violating sanctions on Syria
Britain has said it will not release the Iranian ship in exchange for the British-flagged Stena Impero, describing its seizure by Revolutionary Guard forces as illegal, Reuters noted.
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Iran seizes another oil tanker, detains crew: report https://t.co/W2KV2BhmDH pic.twitter.com/fGkjnYFGAC
— The Hill (@thehill) August 4, 2019
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