Iran detains 18 crew members of foreign tanker seized in Gulf of Oman
Iran said those detained in the ongoing investigation include the tanker’s captain. The vessel’s identity and the crew members’ nationalities were not disclosed.
Iranian authorities detained 18 crew members of a foreign tanker seized in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, which they said was carrying 6 million liters of smuggled fuel, Iranian media reported on Saturday, citing the Hormozgan province judiciary.
It said those detained in the ongoing investigation include the tanker’s captain. The identity of the vessel and the nationalities of the crew members were not disclosed.
Warships sail during the joint Navy exercise of Iran, China and Russia in the Gulf of Oman, Iran, March 12, 2025. (credit: IRANIAN ARMY/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY)/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
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The authorities said the tanker had committed multiple violations, including “ignoring stop orders, attempting to flee, (and) lacking navigation and cargo documentation.”
Iran, which has some of the world’s lowest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighboring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states.
