Third oil tanker ‘seized by Iran’

IRAN has seized a foreign tanker in the Gulf, state media have said, in what would be its third in less than a month.

The nation’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ‘seized this ship around Farsi Island which was carrying around 700,000 litres [15 ,000 gallons] of smuggled fuel’, official news agency Irna reported. Seven foreign crew members were arrested in the operation last Wednesday night, said Fars news agency, which is considered close to the guards.

The identity of the latest seized vessel and the nationality of its crew had not yet been revealed yesterday afternoon. Tensions between Iran and the West have soared this year after the United States stepped up its campaign of ‘maximum pressure’ against Tehran.

On July 18, Iran said it had detained the Panama-flagged MT Riah for alleged fuel smuggling. And a day later, the guards announced the British-flagged Stena Impero had been held for breaking ‘international maritime rules’.