Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) say they've detained two vessels in the Persian Gulf carrying more than 1 million litres of smuggled fuel, state media said, with 15 foreign crew members handed to judicial authorities.
State media reported that all 15 foreign crew members were taken into custody and referred to judicial authorities for investigation.
No details were released on the vessels’ flag, the crew’s nationalities or the destination of the cargo.
Fuel smuggling is a recurring issue in the region, driven by Iran’s heavily subsidised domestic fuel prices and strong demand in neighbouring markets.
Reuters has reported a series of similar seizures in recent months.
In December, Iranian forces detained a foreign tanker near Qeshm island carrying about 4 million litres of smuggled fuel and arrested 16 crew members, days after stopping another vessel with 6 million litres of diesel in the Gulf of Oman.
In March 2025, the Guards intercepted two foreign tankers in the Gulf with more than 3 million litres of diesel, detaining 25 crew members.
Iranian authorities say such operations form part of a wider effort to curb large-scale maritime fuel smuggling across regional waters.
Meanwhile, nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran are expected to take place in Oman on Friday with a possible confrontation looming as U.S. President Donald Trump builds up forces in the Middle East.
Trump has warned that "bad things" would probably happen if a deal could not be reached, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic in a standoff that has led to mutual threats of air strikes and stirred fears of escalation into a wider war.
Iran has said it will not make concessions on its formidable ballistic missile programme, calling that a red line in negotiations.
The Trump administration agreed to an Iranian request to move the talks from Türkiye and negotiations are still ongoing about whether Arab and Muslim countries from the region will join the talks in Oman, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said on Tuesday, citing an Arab source.
China’s internet user base has climbed to about 1.125 billion people, highlighting the country’s vast digital reach and creating fertile ground fo...
In recent years, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a venue for high-stakes diplomacy, hosting sensitive talks on conflicts ranging from Ukraine-Russia to Armen...
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a stark apology on Thursday, launching a direct attack on former U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson and adm...
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) say they've detained two vessels in the Persian Gulf carrying more than 1 million litres of smuggled fuel, state ...
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators began the second round of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (4 February)....
In recent years, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a venue for high-stakes diplomacy, hosting sensitive talks on conflicts ranging from Ukraine-Russia to Armenia-Azerbaijan, as the United Arab Emirates positions itself as a neutral platform amid deepening global divisions.
The United States and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue and a strictly bilateral, nuclear-focused format, a move that is fuelling questions about Iran’s negotiating strategy.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground ballistic missile base on Wednesday (4 February), just over a day before the start of mediated nuclear negotiations with the United States, slated for Friday in Oman.
Images from Iran's Paya (Tolu 3) Earth observation satellite have been officially displayed for the first time by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
Rivers and reservoirs across Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula, compounding damage from last week's Storm Kristin.
Morocco has evacuated more than 100,000 people from four provinces after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods across several northern regions, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Tuesday (3 February) of exploiting a U.S.-backed energy ceasefire to stockpile weapons and launch large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground ballistic missile base on Wednesday (4 February), just over a day before the start of mediated nuclear negotiations with the United States, slated for Friday in Oman.
In recent years, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a venue for high-stakes diplomacy, hosting sensitive talks on conflicts ranging from Ukraine-Russia to Armenia-Azerbaijan, as the United Arab Emirates positions itself as a neutral platform amid deepening global divisions.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a stark apology on Thursday, launching a direct attack on former U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson and admitting he was wrong to trust him.
An exchange of 314 prisoners of war has been agreed following U.S.-brokered trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi between delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia, according to U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
U.S. President Donald Trump held an “excellent” phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, (4 February), to discuss trade, energy, Taiwan, Iran, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, ahead of Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment