Iran Seizes Two More Vessels Accused of Fuel Smuggling
Iranian officials reported on Thursday, February 5, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had seized two more vessels accused of fuel smuggling. While Iran has taken similar actions in the past as part of a crackdown on smuggling, today’s seizures drew additional international attention due to the regional tensions.
Iranian media reports indicate two unnamed vessels were stopped, both near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. They are saying that more than one million liters of smuggled fuel, mostly diesel, was conficated and a total of 15 foreign crewmembers were detained and handed over to judicial authorities.
The IRGC said it had been conducting intelligence monitoring and surveillance. It alleges the vessels had been operating as part of a coordinated smuggling network.
TankerTrackers.com sought to put the reporting in context by highlighting that one million liters is approximately 6,289 barrels or just 745 tons.
Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, also pointed out that today’s seizures were not an escalation amid the recent increased tensions. “However, the timing may/may not be a coincidental reminder that Iran can, and does seize ships in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz almost uncontested,” writes Kelly.
Today’s seizures came as Iran was also highlighting that its foreign minister was departing for Oman and the nuclear talks with the United States scheduled for Friday. Earlier in the week, Iranian forces approached the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Imperative. The same day, the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone that they said was menacing the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The previous reports of seizures of smuggled fuel came in December, when Iran highlighted stopping three vessels. One of the ships, Valiant Roar, seized on December 8 with 6,000 tons of fuel, caused tensions with India after 16 crewmembers, Indian citizens, were detained. The Indian embassy asserted that it was being denied access and attempts to provide consular services to the detained crewmembers. The families made personal appeals to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India asserted that the vessel was stopped in international waters near the UAE port of Dibba.
India’s External Affairs Ministry reported today, February 5, that eight of the crewmembers were being released and that it had been able to speak with and provide consular services to all the crewmembers. It said 10 had been placed in a jail in Bandar Abbas, while six remained on the vessel despite poor conditions. Five were released on February 2 and three more on February 3, with arrangements in process to bring them back to India. It said it was working to support the crewmembers still in detention.
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Iran, in the past, has imposed stiff prison sentences on the captains and senior members of the crew on vessels caught smuggling, as well as fines.
Today’s reports emphasize that the IRGC’s Navy “in recent years confiscated millions of liters of smuggled fuel.” They said Iran is stepping up efforts to combat the smuggling of its petroleum products. The fuel is being transported, they reported, to Arab countries in the region, where prices can be up to 20 times higher. Iran limits fuel sales but also provides strong subsidies to keep the price of fuel at very low levels.