Iran to Seize $5 Million Tanker and Fuel Cargo for State Assets: Official
The chief justice of Iran's Hormozgan Province has announced that a recently confiscated tanker, along with its fuel cargo valued at over five million dollars, is set to be transferred to government ownership.
On Friday, Mojtaba Ghahremani announced that the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran had intercepted a foreign vessel transporting approximately 4 million liters of illicit fuel near Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf, two days prior.
The directive aligns with instructions issued by Iran’s Judiciary Chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Eje, aimed at curbing fuel smuggling and implementing measures to combat the issue.
He stated that the oil tanker and its cargo, valued at approximately 7,000 billion riyals (exceeding $5.2 million), are set to be seized by the government.
Ghahremani reported that the IRGC apprehended 16 foreign crew members from the tanker, subsequently transferring them to judicial authorities.
A case related to the vessel’s violations has been submitted to Qeshm’s Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, according to an official statement.
In a statement underscoring the nation’s commitment to economic stability and growth, Hormozgan’s chief justice highlighted the Iranian Judiciary’s prioritization of combating fuel smuggling. This initiative is viewed as essential for bolstering economic development and prosperity.
In a firm declaration of his ongoing campaign against fuel smuggling, he issued a stark warning that the waters of the Persian Gulf, including Iran’s coasts and islands, will remain perilous and inhospitable for smugglers.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has intensified efforts to curb fuel smuggling in the Persian Gulf, responding to a surge in incidents. Experts point to the widening disparity between Iran’s low domestic fuel prices and the higher prices in neighboring countries as a driving factor behind the increase in smuggling activities.
In late November, a force seized a vessel flagged under Eswatini, which was transporting 350,000 liters of smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf.
