Iran seizes another tank in Straits of Hormuz for ‘smuggling fuel’ amid escalating tensions over drone strike on Saudi Arabian oil plant
Oil tanker was detained near to Iran’s Greater Tunb island on the Persian Gulf
The crew have reportedly been ‘handed over to legal authorities’ and arrested
It comes after a weekend drone strike on a major oil installation in Saudi Arabia
By FAITH RIDLER
DAILYMAIL.COM
16 September 2019
Iran has seized another vessel near to the Strait of Hormuz for allegedly attempting to smuggle 250,000 litres of diesel fuel into the United Arab Emirates.
The oil tanker was intercepted by a naval patrol of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near to Greater Tunb island in the Persian Gulf on Monday.
A crew of 11 have reportedly been ‘handed over to legal authorities’ in the Hormozgan Province, Iran’s semi-official Students News agency ISNA reported.
‘This boat was sailing from Bandar Lengeh towards United Arab Emirates waters before it was seized 20 miles east of Greater Tunb island,’ Brigadier General Ali Ozmayi added. ‘The boat’s 11 crew members have been arrested’.
State television broadcast footage from the deck of a trawler-sized vessel, with open hatches showing tanks full of what appeared to be fuel.
It is the second such seizure this month, after a boat suspected of smuggling fuel was detained and its 12 Filipino crew members arrested in the Strait of Hormuz on September 7.
The news coincided with raised international tensions following a weekend attack on a major oil installation in Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s longtime regional foe.
Ten drones launched by Iran-backed militants sparked a huge fire at the world’s largest oil processing facility and a major oilfield in the early hours of Saturday.
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