Latest news with #Ghahremani
Gulf Insider
6 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Iran Seizes Foreign Oil Tanker In Sea Of Oman
It remains important for energy traders to closely monitor the Strait of Hormuz and other key critical maritime chokepoints in the region (recall Red Sea events last week, given persistent geopolitical tensions involving Iran and Israel. Tehran retains a diverse toolkit—both asymmetric and conventional—for disrupting tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. These methods include naval mine deployment, anti-ship missile and drone launches, fast-attack craft swarms, and the seizure of vessels transiting the critical waterway responsible for 20% of the world's oil flows. Shortly after the U.S. launched 'Operation Midnight Hammer' in late June, deploying stealth bombers to strike Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs, Iran's parliament voted to authorize the closure of the strait. However, Tehran never closed the strait, but there was at least one report we covered that said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mulled over littering the waterway with mines. Given that the mines were not deployed, a troubling new report from local media indicates that the IRGC has intercepted and seized a foreign tanker in the Gulf of Oman. The seizure was reportedly carried out under the pretext of 'fuel smuggling,' according to Iranian state media outlet Mehr News Agency (MNA) on X. 'The Chief Justice of Hormozgan Province has announced the seizure of a foreign oil tanker on charges of smuggling 2 million liters of fuel in the Sea of Oman,' MNA reported. The Chief Justice of Hormozgan Province has announced the seizure of a foreign oil tanker on charges of smuggling 2 million liters of fuel in the Sea of Oman.#BREAKING #BreakingNews — Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) July 16, 2025 Here are more details from pro-Iranian news channel Al Mayadeen: 'Following persistent surveillance of suspected fuel smuggling operations off Iran's Sea of Oman coast, security forces boarded and searched a foreign oil tanker,' Ghahremani said. Iranian authorities confirmed the seizure of the foreign tanker after detecting irregularities in its cargo documentation, with security forces arresting 17 crew members, including the ship's captain, during the operation. The vessel was suspected of transporting two million liters of smuggled fuel through the Sea of Oman. Fuel smuggling via 'dark fleet' tankers has been a consistent tactic used by Iran to circumvent Western sanctions, with much of the crude oil ultimately making its way to China. Details about the seized vessel's ownership and final destination remain limited. Also read: Drone Attacks On Northern Iraqi Oil Field On The Rise Amid Iran Tensions
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business Recorder
Iran seizes foreign tanker over fuel smuggling
TEHRAN: Iran has seized a foreign tanker in the Sea of Oman on charges of fuel smuggling, the judiciary said Wednesday. The vessel was intercepted 'after legal documents related to its cargo were found to be incomplete,' said Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the judiciary in southern Hormozgan province, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online outlet. He added that the ship was reportedly carrying 'two million litres of smuggled fuel.' 'Seventeen suspects, including the captain and crew of the foreign tanker, have been taken into custody,' Ghahremani said, without elaborating on the identity and nationality of those arrested. Authorities are conducting laboratory tests and reviewing documents to verify the cargo's contents and legality, the report added. The seizure comes months after Iran's Revolutionary Guards intercepted two Tanzanian-flagged tankers allegedly transporting 1.5 million litres of diesel in the Gulf. Those vessels were later transferred to the port of Bushehr for legal proceedings.
Yemen Online
6 days ago
- Yemen Online
Iran seizes foreign tanker on fuel smuggling allegations
Iran's judiciary says authorities have seized a vessel smuggling 2 million liters of fuel in the Gulf of Oman. Fuel smuggling is rampant from Iran, where the domestic fuel price is kept low by heavy subsidies. Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker in the Gulf of Oman for smuggling 2 million liters (around 528,000 gallons) of fuel, the chief justice of southern Hormozgan province said on Wednesday. The vessel was intercepted "after legal documents related to its cargo were found to be incomplete," said Mojtaba Ghahremani, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online outlet. Fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states is a persistent problem for authorities in Iran, where domestic fuel prices are among the lowest in the world owing to heavy subsidies. What has Iran said about the vessel's seizure? Ghahremani said that said that the tanker was detected as part of routine monitoring along the Gulf of Oman. "During the continuous process of monitoring and surveilling suspicious fuel smuggling movements in the Gulf of Oman, officers inspected a foreign tanker due to its lack of legal documents regarding its cargo and seized it on charges of carrying 2 million litres of smuggled fuel," Ghahremani said, according a report carried by the semi-official Mehr news agency. "Seventeen suspects, including the captain and crew of the foreign tanker, have been taken into custody," Ghahremani said, without giving the identity and nationality of those arrested, or the name of the tanker and the flag under which it is registered. He said a judicial case had been opened at the Jask county prosecutor's office. "The actions of fuel smugglers, who in coordination 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," Ghahremani said, according to the report. Other fuel smuggling incidents The Wednesday seizure is not the first time Iranian authorities have taken over tankers whose crew was suspected of smuggling fuel. In April, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two Tanzanian-flagged tankers for alleged fuel smuggling, later transferring the vessels — the Sea Ranger and Salama — to the port of Bushehr for legal proceedings.
Muscat Daily
6 days ago
- Muscat Daily
Iran seizes foreign tanker on fuel smuggling allegations
Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker in the Gulf of Oman for smuggling two million litres (around 528,000 gallons) of fuel, the chief justice of southern Hormozgan province said on Wednesday. The vessel was intercepted 'after legal documents related to its cargo were found to be incomplete', said Mojtaba Ghahremani, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online outlet. Fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states is a persistent problem for authorities in Iran, where domestic fuel prices are among the lowest in the world owing to heavy subsidies. What Iran said about the seizure? Ghahremani said that said that the tanker was detected as part of routine monitoring along the Gulf of Oman. 'During the continuous process of monitoring and surveilling suspicious fuel smuggling movements in the Gulf of Oman, officers inspected a foreign tanker due to its lack of legal documents regarding its cargo and seized it on charges of carrying two million litres of smuggled fuel,' Ghahremani said, according a report carried by the semi-official Mehr news agency. 'Seventeen suspects, including the captain and crew of the foreign tanker, have been taken into custody,' Ghahremani said, without giving the identity and nationality of those arrested, or the name of the tanker and the flag under which it is registered. He said a judicial case had been opened at the Jask county prosecutor's office. 'The actions of fuel smugglers, who in coordination 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,' Ghahremani said, according to the report. Other fuel smuggling incidents The Wednesday seizure is not the first time Iranian authorities have taken over tankers whose crew was suspected of smuggling fuel. In April, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two Tanzanian-flagged tankers for alleged fuel smuggling, later transferring the vessels – the Sea Ranger and Salama – to the port of Bushehr for legal proceedings. The 1.5mn litres of diesel that the ships were alleged to be carrying were reportedly to be returned to the local fuel supply chain after being handed to the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company. In November, Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. DW
Observer
7 days ago
- Observer
Iran seizes foreign tanker over fuel smuggling
Iran has seized a foreign tanker in the Sea of Oman on charges of fuel smuggling, the judiciary said Wednesday. The vessel was intercepted "after legal documents related to its cargo were found to be incomplete," said Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the judiciary in southern Hormozgan province, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online outlet. He added that the ship was reportedly carrying "two million litres of smuggled fuel." "Seventeen suspects, including the captain and crew of the foreign tanker, have been taken into custody," Ghahremani said, without elaborating on the identity and nationality of those arrested. Authorities are conducting laboratory tests and reviewing documents to verify the cargo's contents and legality, the report added. The seizure comes months after Iran's Revolutionary Guards intercepted two Tanzanian-flagged tankers allegedly transporting 1.5 million litres of diesel in the Gulf. Those vessels were later transferred to the port of Bushehr for legal proceedings. The vessels, the Sea Ranger and Salama, had 25 foreign crew members, according to Iranian media. Fuel smuggling is a recurring challenge in Iran, where heavy subsidies have kept domestic fuel prices among the lowest in the world.
