Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Dec 13: Iran announced on Saturday the seizure of a foreign-flagged oil tanker in the Sea of Oman for allegedly transporting six million litres of smuggled fuel.

Hormozgan Chief Justice Mojtaba Qahremani said the confiscation followed intelligence monitoring and surveillance of suspicious fuel-smuggling activities along Iran’s maritime borders. Judicial officers, acting under a court warrant, inspected the vessel in Iran’s territorial waters near the western Jask area. Inspections revealed multiple maritime violations and deficiencies in legal documentation, prompting the seizure.

The tanker’s crew, including the captain, totaling 18 individuals, have been placed under supervision as investigations continue. The crew comprises nationals from Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh.

According to the judicial official, the tanker had committed several violations, including ignoring orders to stop, fleeing, turning off radar and navigational systems, lacking cargo documents, and intentionally damaging equipment. Investigations into the vessel and its crew’s alleged offences are ongoing, with judicial authorities set to report further findings.

State media reports emphasized that the confiscation is part of Iran’s broader effort to combat organised fuel smuggling networks along its southern maritime borders.