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Iran seizes 'fuel-smuggling' tanker in Gulf | Iran seizes 'fuel-smuggling' tanker in Gulf |
(32 minutes later) | |
Iran says it seized a "foreign tanker" and its 12 crew on Sunday for smuggling fuel in the Gulf. | Iran says it seized a "foreign tanker" and its 12 crew on Sunday for smuggling fuel in the Gulf. |
State television quoted Iran's Revolutionary Guards as saying the ship had been smuggling one million litres (220,000 gallons) of fuel. | State television quoted Iran's Revolutionary Guards as saying the ship had been smuggling one million litres (220,000 gallons) of fuel. |
It is not yet confirmed if it is the UAE-based Riah tanker that stopped transmitting its position as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. | |
Iran said earlier this week it had come to the aid of a broken down tanker. | |
Without naming the Riah, it said had towed the foreign tanker into Iranian waters for repairs after "receiving a request for assistance" on Sunday. | |
Tensions have been high in the Gulf since the US tightened the sanctions that it reimposed on Iran's oil sector after unilaterally withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. | |
The US has blamed Iran for two separate sets attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in May and June - an allegation it has denied. | |
Iran also shot down a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz in disputed circumstances. | |
UK warships have meanwhile been shadowing British oil tankers in the area since Iran threatened to seize one in response to the impounding of an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar. | |
The UK said the tanker was suspected of breaching EU sanctions on Syria. Iran denied it was en route there. |