Iran’s IRGC seizes two foreign-owned tankers over fuel smuggling

Shafaq News/ Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has seized two foreign-owned tankers accused of diesel fuel smuggling in the central Persian Gulf, Iranian state-linked media reported on Sunday. The vessels, identified as Star 1 and Vintage, were intercepted earlier in the day, and their crews were detained.

The Tasnim news agency, citing Revolutionary Guard officials, said a naval operation led to the capture of the tankers, which were allegedly transporting 3 million liters of diesel. The vessels are being taken to the Bushehr oil dock, where the fuel will be offloaded under judicial supervision. Western media reports suggest one of the ships is linked to interests in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Iran has frequently accused foreign vessels of smuggling fuel, but officials say the latest incident involves smuggling on a larger scale. The authorities claim the tankers were part of a broader network diverting oil from Iran and were identified through intelligence monitoring at Bushehr port.

Iranian authorities have intensified efforts to combat fuel smuggling in recent months. Last week, border police seized a ship carrying 1 million liters of smuggled oil in the Persian Gulf. Officials estimate that 25-30 million liters of fuel are smuggled out of Iran daily.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that a second cargo ship carrying raw materials for rocket fuel arrived in Iran from China on March 29. The shipment, after processing, could provide solid fuel for up to 250 medium- or short-range rockets.

Iran’s heavily subsidized fuel prices contribute to smuggling. Diesel costs 3,000 rials ($0.003) per liter for limited monthly quotas and 6,000 rials per liter for unrestricted use by truck drivers and heavy machinery operators. Reports indicate that large volumes of gas oil, a type of diesel fuel, have been diverted from Iranian power plants to neighboring countries.