Iran has seized an oil tanker carrying a huge quantity of fuel in the Gulf of Oman, triggering international attention. The incident took place shortly after midnight on Friday, according to reports by international media. Notably, Indian nationals were among the crew members on board the seized vessel.
The tanker was reportedly transporting around 6 million litres of oil illegally. Iranian media stated that authorities disabled the ship’s navigation systems after detecting the unlawful movement of fuel. The vessel had a total of 18 crew members, including citizens of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Iran has repeatedly warned that it will take strict action against vessels involved in illegal fuel transportation in the Gulf region. As one of the major oil-producing countries, Iran has relatively low domestic fuel prices. This price difference has led to frequent attempts by smugglers to export oil illegally to other countries for large profits.
Iranian authorities have intensified surveillance and enforcement operations to curb such activities. This latest seizure is part of Iran’s ongoing efforts to stop fuel smuggling through maritime routes.
Meanwhile, the incident comes amid heightened global scrutiny of oil transportation. Just two days ago, the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. The US authorities alleged that the ship’s captain was involved in illegally transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran.
The seizure of the tanker in the Gulf of Oman has raised concerns over the safety of crew members and the growing tension surrounding oil trade routes in the region.
