Iran Captures Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman with Indian Crew Members

Iran has seized an oil tanker within the Gulf of Oman, Iranian media mentioned in a single day Friday to Saturday, including that 18 crew members from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had been on board.

“An oil tanker carrying six million litres of contraband diesel gas has been boarded off the coast of the Sea of Oman,” the Fars information company mentioned, quoting an official from the southern province of Hormozgan.

“The vessel had disabled all its navigation methods.”

Iranian forces frequently announce the interception of ships it says are illegally transporting gas within the Gulf.

Retail gas costs in Iran are among the many lowest on the planet, making smuggling it to different international locations significantly worthwhile.

Iran seized an oil tanker in Gulf waters final month “for carrying an unauthorised cargo”, dismissing strategies it was a retaliatory measure in opposition to one other nation.

The newest interception got here two days after the USA seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.

Based on Washington, the ship’s captain was transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran. The US Treasury sanctioned Venezuela in 2022 for alleged ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.