Iranian authorities have seized a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, suspecting it of carrying smuggled fuel, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.
Mojtaba Ghahremani, chief justice of Hormozgan Province, said the vessel was carrying approximately 6 million litres of fuel (equivalent to about 37,000 barrels) and that 18 crew members have been detained. Iranian officials did not disclose the tanker’s flag, destination, or the exact timing of the seizure.
Iran regularly detains vessels in its southern waters as part of efforts to curb fuel smuggling, which authorities say has increased amid domestic price controls and regional demand. Officials indicated the latest case does not appear to be retaliatory or linked to any specific foreign action.
The seizure comes weeks after Iran intercepted the Marshall Islands–flagged tanker Talara after it transited the Strait of Hormuz. That vessel was later released without its cargo, according to its manager.
The incident also follows a recent US seizure of a tanker off Venezuela, which Washington alleges was involved in transporting sanctioned oil linked to Iran. Tehran has not confirmed any connection between the two cases, though Iran’s foreign ministry recently condemned the US action as “state piracy” and warned of consequences.
Fuel smuggling remains a sensitive issue for Iran, particularly as economic pressure mounts from international sanctions and a weakening national currency. Authorities have recently introduced a new pricing tier for subsidised petrol, the first such adjustment since 2019, in an effort to rein in rising costs.
Iran has historically treated cheap fuel as a social entitlement, making enforcement and pricing changes politically delicate. Officials have not commented on whether the seized tanker is connected to broader policy efforts to control fuel losses.
Investigations into the tanker and its cargo are ongoing.
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