Sunday, December 28, 2025 -Iran has seized a foreign-crewed oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it was transporting millions of liters of smuggled fuel through one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
State media report that the vessel was intercepted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and that 16 crew members were detained. Iranian authorities say the tanker was carrying roughly four million liters of illicit fuel, describing the operation as part of an intensified crackdown on organized smuggling networks.
The seizure underscores Tehran’s increasingly aggressive maritime enforcement in the Gulf, where fuel smuggling has surged due to sharp price differences between Iran and neighboring countries. Officials argue that illicit fuel exports drain the national economy and undermine energy security.
However, repeated vessel seizures in the Strait of Hormuz continue to raise concerns among international shipping companies and foreign governments, especially as details about the ship’s flag and crew nationalities remain unclear.
For global energy markets and maritime operators, the incident adds urgency to already heightened risk calculations in the region. Around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moves through the Strait of Hormuz each day, making any disruption highly consequential.
As regional tensions remain elevated, this latest action signals that commercial shipping through the Gulf faces continued uncertainty, with potential ripple effects across global supply chains.
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