Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seize oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized on Monday an oil tanker with 11 people on board flying the UAE flag.

Fars News Agency reported that the ship, which was carrying 250.000 litters of “smuggled diesel”, was detained alongside its crew who were handed over to the authorities in Hormozgan province, south of Iran.

Fares News Agency quoted the Revolutionary Guards Brigadier, Ali Azamae, saying that the Lynch tanker sailed from the port of Lengeh, bordering the Arabian Gulf, heading for the UAE, before being stopped at a distance of 20 miles east of the island of Greater Tunb, which is still subject of a UAE-Iran territorial dispute.

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He added that the vessel’s crew of 11 was arrested and referred to the judicial authority.

The capture of the ship by the IRGC came at a time when US officials accuse Iran of being responsible for attacks on two Saudi oil facilities, which the Houthis declared responsibility for, resulting in Saudi Arabia’s production cut by millions of barrels per day.

Since May, Iran has detained several ships and oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, most notably the seizure of the British oil tanker Stina Impero.