Iran Says It Has Seized Foreign Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf

Iranian state TV says Revolutionary Guards forces have seized a foreign tanker with 12 crew accused of smuggling oil.

Thursday’s report says the tanker was taking fuel from Iranian smugglers to foreign customers and was intercepted south of Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

This is a developing story. Return to this post for updates.


UPDATE 1

Via The Guardian:

The TV did not identify the tanker or say which country the crew were from, but said it was intercepted on Sunday after issuing a distress call.

“A foreign vessel smuggling one million litres of fuel in the Larak Island of the Persian Gulf has been seized,” the station said. “The vessel that Iran towed to its waters after receiving a distress call, was later seized with the order from the court as we found out that it was smuggling fuel.”

US officials have previously expressed suspicion that a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker MT Riah that stopped transmitting its location at the weekend had been seized in Iranian territorial waters.

-RW