Iran Seizes Oil Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz

Iran has seized a foreign oil tanker moving through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state media reported Friday, marking the latest maritime grab in one of the world’s most volatile shipping lanes.

Mojtaba Ghahramani, a provincial justice department chief, said the tanker was hauling roughly 4 million liters — about 25,000 barrels — of smuggled fuel when it was intercepted by Revolutionary Guard naval forces, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The vessel’s 16 foreign crew members were detained, Ghahramani said, calling the seizure a major “blow” to fuel smugglers. He did not identify the tanker’s flag or disclose the crew’s nationalities.

Iran has periodically seized oil-carrying vessels in the region under similar accusations. In November, authorities took control of another ship transiting the narrow strait, citing alleged violations that included transporting an illegal fuel shipment.

Western governments have accused Iran of a string of maritime attacks in recent years, including limpet mine explosions that damaged tankers in 2019 and a drone strike on an Israeli-linked oil tanker in 2021 that killed two European crew members. Those incidents followed President Trump’s decision during his first term to pull the United States out of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Iran also seized the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries in April 2024, further stoking tensions over commercial shipping in the region.

RELATED: U.S. Seizes Second Venezuelan Oil Tanker

The latest incident comes after years of escalating friction between Tehran and the West, compounded by the war in Gaza. In June, Iran and Israel fought a full-scale 12-day war that left senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists dead after Israeli strikes. Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks killed 28 people in Israel.

Tehran has repeatedly threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow choke point linking the Persian Gulf to open seas and carrying roughly 20% of the world’s traded oil. The U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet has long patrolled the region to keep the vital waterways open.

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>