Iran says it seized an oil tanker 'smuggling fuel' to Arab states

Iranian flag. — (Image credit: JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

The oil tanker battle continues.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly seized a foreign oil tanker that was "smuggling" 700,000 liters of fuel to Arab states, Iran's state media reported on Sunday. The Iranian forces also reportedly detained seven crew members from different countries, though it is unclear what country the ship belongs to. IRGC commander Ramezan Zirahi was quoted as saying the seizure, which reportedly took place on Wednesday, "was in coordination with Iran's judiciary authorities and based on their order."

The U.S. Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, was unable to confirm the reports. But, if true, it would be the latest move amid ongoing tensions between the Iran and several Western states that have risen since the U.S. left the 2015 nuclear pact last year. In July, British forces seized an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar, accusing it of violating sanctions. Iran retaliated by later seizing a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, which it is still holding.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.