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IRGC Seizes Eswatini-Flagged Ship Over Alleged Fuel Smuggling

Iran portrays the operation as a court-ordered bid to curb fuel smuggling in sensitive Gulf waters.

Overview

  • The IRGC says the vessel was intercepted in the Persian Gulf with about 350,000 liters of smuggled fuel and directed to Bushehr for offloading.
  • The ship’s 13 crew members, described as from India and a neighboring country, were placed under protection as an investigation proceeds.
  • A local commander said the custody was executed under a judicial order following routine maritime monitoring.
  • Iranian outlets reported the cargo included Iranian petrochemical products allegedly being moved illegally toward Singapore, with responsibility linked to an Iranian individual or company.
  • The seizure follows the mid-November detention and subsequent release of the Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker Talara, which highlighted ongoing IRGC interdictions that Western shipping sources view through a broader regional lens.