Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seize oil tanker in Persian Gulf – State media
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces have seized an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf over allegations of fuel smuggling, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces have seized an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf over allegations of fuel smuggling, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday.
Fars News Agency said the vessel was intercepted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy and that six individuals were arrested. It did not specify the nationality of the tanker or those detained. Fars added that 100,000 liters of smuggled fuel were discovered during the inspection of the tanker.
The reported seizure follows an operation last month in which the IRGC detained two foreign tankers allegedly carrying over three million liters of smuggled diesel fuel. Those vessels, intercepted by the IRGC’s Second Naval District, were said to be systematically involved in fuel trafficking and were being moved to the port of Bushehr under judicial orders.
The IRGC regularly announces such actions, saying they are part of efforts to combat fuel smuggling in the Persian Gulf, a vital maritime route through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes.
Iran has previously seized tankers over alleged maritime violations or as retaliatory measures.
In April 2023, the Iranian Navy detained the Advantage Sweet, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, in the Gulf of Oman, citing a collision with an Iranian vessel.
In January, Iran seized the St. Nikolas, also Marshall Islands-flagged, in response to a US confiscation of Iranian oil the previous year.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have flared in recent years over a series of maritime incidents in the region, often involving oil shipments and sanctions enforcement.
"We're not denying the fact that having to act militarily is always an option," Pahlavi told a Washington DC event hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI).
"But I think it will be historically criminal not to give the Iranian people a chance to make that happen before you have to resort to those less likable scenarios," he added.
US President Donald Trump has extended an offer to Iran for direct negotiations aimed at addressing concerns over its nuclear program. But the overture was accompanied by a stern warning: failure to engage would result in bombing "the likes of which they (Iran) have never seen before."
Pahlavi added that moving straight from diplomacy to military action would be ill advised. "Once again, you're throwing the people of Iran under the bus, which will only add salt to injury."
In response to Trump's bombing threat, Iran elevated its military readiness and cautioned neighboring countries against supporting any US military actions, warning of repercussions for neighbors who might facilitate an attack.
Addressing the same event, South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson said "preventing Iran's regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon, which is existential for the United States and for American families and has been cited about the missile programs, is the foremost urgency."
He referred to the recent downfall of Iran's staunch ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, adding that he is "very hopeful that the success of the people of Syria should be the equivalent for the Middle East of the fall of the Berlin Wall, for the Europe and Central Asia for ultimately liberation of countries around the world."
Last week, Wilson introduced a new bipartisan bill pushing for measures to empower Iranians to help overthrow the government in favor of a democratic alternative including facilitating greater internet access and funding for dissidents.
The Maximum Support Act, introduced by Wilson and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), would require the administration to develop an aggressive interagency strategy aimed at backing Iranian dissidents who would be pivotal in the process.
The legislation outlines a set of initiatives including facilitating secure communications for activists, appointing a special representative for coordinating support efforts and forming multi-agency teams to counter online censorship and government surveillance.
It also calls for offering safe channels for defection by Iranian officials and utilizing information shared by defectors.
“The Iranian regime will fall sooner rather than later,” Wilson said after introducing the bill.
