Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seize over million litres of smuggled fuel VIDEO

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has seized two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, detaining their foreign crews on charges of fuel smuggling, IRNA reports.

The vessels were intercepted near Farsi Island, though the flags they were flying and the nationalities of the crew members have not been immediately disclosed. According to the reports, “more than one million litres of smuggled fuel were found on board of the two vessels,” and a total of “15 foreign crew members were referred to the judiciary.”

The IRGC stated that the tankers “had been engaged in smuggling operations for several months and were identified and intercepted following surveillance, interception and intelligence operations” carried out by its naval forces.

The seizure comes amid heightened tensions in the region following the deployment of a US naval group, reportedly in response to Iran’s recent deadly anti-government protests.

Iranian forces routinely target tankers accused of participating in illicit fuel trade in the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The latest incident continues a series of similar operations in recent months.

Experts note that retail fuel prices in Iran are among the lowest globally, making the smuggling of fuel to neighboring countries a highly lucrative enterprise.

By Vafa Guliyeva