Iranian authorities have seized a foreign oil tanker in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, state media reported Friday.

According to Mojtaba Ghahramani, a provincial justice department chief, the tanker was carrying approximately 4 million liters, or 25,000 barrels, of smuggled fuel when it was intercepted by Revolutionary Guard naval forces, the IRNA news agency said. Sixteen foreign crew members were also detained during the operation, which Ghahramani described as a significant “blow” to fuel smugglers. He did not provide details on the vessel’s flag or the crew’s nationalities.

Iran has periodically seized oil tankers in the region on similar grounds. Last November, authorities detained another vessel in the Strait of Hormuz over alleged violations, including transporting illicit cargo.

The West has accused Iran of past attacks on tankers, including limpet mine incidents in 2019 and a 2021 drone strike on an Israeli-linked oil tanker that killed two European crew members, following the U.S. withdrawal from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal. In April 2024, Iran also seized the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries.

Amid long-standing tensions with the West and regional conflicts, including June’s 12-day war with Israel, Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for 20% of global oil trade. The U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet regularly patrols the area to ensure the waterways remain open.

Source: AP