2025-12-24 19:46
publication
2025-12-24 19:46
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday seized a tanker suspected by the authorities in Tehran of smuggling fuel, the AFP news agency reported, citing state media in this country. There were 16 foreign crew members on board the seized vessel.
Local media did not provide information about the nationality of the crew, the shipowner or the flag it flies.
State television reported that the ship was carrying 4 million liters of fuel. The arrest occurred “in the waters of the Persian Gulf when the tanker tried to leave Iranian territorial waters,” AFP reported, citing local media.
This is not the first time Iran has seized a tanker this month. On December 13, Iranian services seized a ship of this type in the Gulf of Oman, stating that the official reason was that it was transporting 6 million liters of smuggled fuel. The ship was detained along with its 18-member crew, consisting of citizens of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
As the AFP agency recalled, fuel prices in Iran are among the lowest in the world – the state subsidizes them very highly. At the same time, the value of Iran's currency, the rial, has been falling for a long time, which is why fuel smuggling has become very attractive.
Approximately 20% of the traffic passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where ships are seized by the authorities. world supplies of crude oil. This means that any disruptions along this route pose a serious problem for global markets. (PAP)
mzb/ akl/
