Iran seizes foreign tanker in Gulf of Oman
The semi-official Mehr news agency quoted the chief justice of Iran's Hormozgan province as saying the ship was inspected 'due to incomplete legal documentation for its cargo'. It was then seized on suspicion of carrying illicit fuel.
Mojtaba Ghahremani said 17 crew members, including the ship's captain, were arrested and a judicial case had been opened by prosecutors. Mehr did not provide any further information on the ship such as its owner or nationality.
Authorities were 'collecting evidence to determine the exact volume of the fuel cargo, conducting sampling and laboratory tests, and verifying the vessel's documentation', the news agency said.
Iran, which has some of the world's lowest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies, has been fighting fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states.
Last year President Masoud Pezeshkian said there was 'no rationality' in fuel prices in Iran because of the subsidies.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a US-based think tank, last month said in a report that Iran 'faces a severe energy crisis due to decades of mismanagement, excessive subsidies, corruption, and international sanctions'.
Mr Ghahremani said on Wednesday there would be no leniency for fuel smugglers.
'The actions of fuel smugglers, who in co-ordination with foreigners attempt to plunder national wealth, will not remain hidden from the judiciary, and punishment of perpetrators, if their crimes are proven, will be without leniency,' he was quoted by Mehr as saying.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 minutes ago
- The National
Foreign-born women stripped of Kuwaiti citizenship will still receive benefits, ministry says
Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs said foreign-born women who acquired citizenship through marriage and recently had it revoked will retain access to benefits. The ministry said that the women would be treated 'as Kuwaiti citizens in all benefits and services' if they have 'regularised their status'. This means they must comply with authorities during the citizenship revocation process. 'All social and service-related benefits will continue without any change in line with government directives, to preserve the stability of the women concerned and their families,' it said. The pledge comes amid Kuwait's sweeping year-long review, which has seen almost 50,000 people stripped of their citizenship. The process is led by the Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality, chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al Sabah, and including other senior ministers. A large proportion of those affected, nearly 29,000, are women who had been naturalised under the country's nationality law through marriage to Kuwaiti men. In some cases, revocation came decades after naturalisation. While the loss of citizenship formally removes eligibility for state benefits, the government has granted a temporary period for this group to adjust their status and maintain access to services during the appeal process. With just more than 1.5 million citizens out of about 4.5 million residents, Kuwaitis are a minority in their own country. Citizenship is highly prized. The status grants access to generous state benefits including health care and education, public-sector employment, subsidised housing and utilities, interest-free marriage loans and monthly food rations. The country holds about seven per cent of the world's proven oil reserves, which underpins a per capita income among the highest in the world, making Kuwaiti nationality an economic advantage. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior's General Department of Residency Affairs has announced the arrest of a foreign national accused of residency permit fraud. Investigations revealed the suspect was officially sponsored by one company but acted as a representative for 19 others and managed nine of them under power of attorney, with 150 workers registered. Several other suspects were also detained for paying thousands of dinars to renew or transfer their residency permits illegally. 'They admitted they did not work for the companies involved and knew the transactions were unlawful,' said the ministry.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation discusses with her Jordanian counterpart joint efforts to achieve economic development and enhance growth and employment policies
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, met with Zeina Toukan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, during the 33rd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Joint Higher Committee, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, under the chairmanship of the Prime Ministers of both countries. The meeting witnessed discussions on strengthening the partnership between the two ministries in order to exchange expertise in the field of development planning and economic development policies, and discussed activating the executive program that was signed during the activities of the committee between the Institute of National Planning (INP) in Egypt and the Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed the keenness of the Egyptian state, under the leadership of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to continue developing the joint relations between the two brotherly countries, which have close and extended economic ties that have contributed to the development of bilateral, Arab and regional cooperation, adding that the Egyptian-Jordanian relations represent a role model for Arab relations in light of the attention and permanent support from the political leadership of the two countries, especially in light of the developments and rapid changes taking place in the Arab world and the region. Al-Mashat pointed to the pivotal role of the Egyptian-Jordanian Joint Higher Committee as one of the main mechanisms working to support and strengthen joint economic, trade, investment, and cultural relations between the two countries, which represents the oldest of all Arab bilateral higher committees, noting the strong contributions over 32 previous sessions in supporting bilateral relations in areas of joint work between the two countries and overcoming obstacles to mutual cooperation paths. H.E. expressed her welcome for cooperation and the exchange of expertise in the field of development planning and sustainable development, through the activation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in August 2023 in Amman, which expands to covers promising areas, most notably cooperation in planning, capacity building through the provision of training programs, workshops, and discussion panels in the fields of planning, strategic planning, governance, sustainable development, and competitiveness. Al-Mashat also noted the possibility of exchanging expertise between the two countries in sustainable development and planning, particularly regarding their efforts to implement the recommendations of the 'Public Governance Review,' launched by Egypt and Jordan in Egypt in cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) within the framework of the 'Supporting Public and Economic Governance in Egypt' project, and the lessons learned in preparing Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), and the role of the Higher Committee for Sustainable Development (HCSD) in Jordan. The two ministers also discussed joint coordination in international forums to advance global efforts towards implementing the outcomes of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, recently held in Seville, as well as other international conferences, especially with regard to the global financial architecture reforms and developing the United Nations system to benefit the economies of developing and emerging countries. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation - Egypt.
UAE Moments
12 hours ago
- UAE Moments
France, UK, and Germany Ready to Reimpose Sanctions on Iran
France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, the trio known as the E3, have formally notified the United Nations that they are prepared to reimpose sanctions on Iran unless Tehran resumes meaningful nuclear negotiations. In a letter shared publicly by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, the E3 signaled their readiness to invoke the 'snapback' mechanism under the 2015 nuclear agreement if Iran fails to respond by the end of August. This move follows diplomatic engagements in Istanbul last month, where the E3 sought to revive stalled nuclear discussions. Despite offering a six-month extension for direct U.S.–Iran negotiations, Iran has yet to accept the proposal. The E3 has therefore set a clear ultimatum: either Iran re-enters serious dialogue, or the snapback mechanism will be activated before the UN's October deadline. The snapback mechanism, embedded in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, allows parties to the 2015 JCPOA to reimpose all previously lifted UN sanctions automatically, with no veto possible. If triggered, these sanctions would affect arms, nuclear and missile imports, financial transactions, and international banking tied to Iran. Tensions have only escalated recently. Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency has diminished in the wake of Israeli and U.S. air strikes. Meanwhile, Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have responded by warning that any attempt at invoking snapback could jeopardize Europe's continued participation in negotiations. Further heightening the stakes, Iranian lawmaker Manouchehr Mottaki announced that if the UN does reimpose sanctions, Iran's parliament is prepared to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This threat underscores the deepening impasse and potential for broader diplomatic fallout. The E3's firm stance reflects mounting international pressure on Iran. Western governments insist that Tehran's nuclear program poses a growing threat and that diplomacy must not be allowed to stall indefinitely. At the same time, Iran continues to enrich uranium to higher levels and resists calls to halt its activities, asserting its program is exclusively peaceful. With the October 18 expiry date of the dispute resolution window fast approaching, the E3's August deadline serves as a pivotal moment. Iran's response in the coming days will determine whether the region returns to sanctions-driven diplomacy—or if it can still salvage talks through renewed engagement.
