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Iran seizes foreign oil tankers, accused of fuel smuggling hours before US talks
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Iran seized two international oil tankers within the Persian Gulf on Thursday, charging them with gasoline smuggling and detaining 15 international crew members, forward of Friday’s US-Iran talks in Oman.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy mentioned it intercepted the 2 ships close to Farsi Island and claimed they have been carrying round 1 million liters of smuggled gasoline. Reuters reported.
The crews – consisting of 15 foreigners – have been taken into custody and referred to Iran’s judicial authorities, Iranian state media mentioned.
US POSITIONS AIRCRAFT, STRIKE PLATFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TALKS A SHIFT TO OMAN
Iran seized two oil tankers on Thursday, whereas former Iranian minister Ezzatollah Zarghami threatened to make the Strait of Hormuz a “massacre and hell” for US forces. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
The IRGC alleged that the ships have been a part of an organized gasoline smuggling community that had been working within the area for a number of months.
Iranian officers mentioned the ships have been recognized by way of intelligence searches and seized throughout coordinated naval operations within the Persian Gulf, a significant artery for world power markets.
In response to The Jerusalem PostIranian authorities described the operation as a big blow to the illicit gasoline commerce, though they didn’t instantly reveal the ships’ nationalities or locations.
US army warns Iran it won’t tolerate ‘unsafe’ actions forward of stay hearth drills in HORMUZ Strait
Iran seized two international oil tankers within the Persian Gulf on Thursday, reportedly carrying 1 million liters of smuggled gasoline. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
The seizures come as Iranian rhetoric towards the US has grown hostile.
Former Iranian minister and former state broadcaster chief Ezzatollah Zarghami warned of violence within the Strait of Hormuz, by way of which a few fifth of world oil and petroleum product consumption passes.
“I’m certain that the Strait of Hormuz would be the place of carnage and hell for the US,” Zarghami mentioned on Thursday.
“Iran will present that the Strait of Hormuz has traditionally belonged to Iran. All of the Individuals can take into consideration is taking part in with their ships and transferring them from one place to a different,” he added.
Iranian MEDIA CLAIMS THAT THE DRONE WE SHOT DOWN WAS CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE IN A ‘ROUTINE AND LAWFUL MISSION’
US Particular Envoy to the Center East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Iranian officers in Oman on Friday. (Joe Raedle/Getty Photos)
Zarghami later reiterated the menace, calling the Strait a possible “killing discipline” for US forces and signaling Iran’s willingness to escalate beneath mounting regional stress.
Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Iranian officers in Oman on Friday.
The pair are touring from Abu Dhabi after two days of talks on Russia and Ukraine.
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White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Friday’s talks have been nonetheless ongoing, saying that “diplomacy is at all times essential.” [Trump’s] first possibility,” she informed reporters.