Reports state the Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized an Iraqi oil tanker on suspicion of “smuggling fuel for some Arab countries” and detained seven of the ship’s crew on Wednesday. The vessel was intercepted near Iran’s Farsi Island in the Gulf.
The tanker was said to contain around 700,000 litres (154,000 gallons) of fuel.
According to Iranian state media, upon capture the vessel was taken to Bushehr Port in south-west Iran and its fuel handed over to the authorities.
If confirmed, the tanker will be the third foreign vessel to have been seized in the last month.
Iranian reports say the tanker was Iraqi but the nationalities of the seven crew have not been disclosed.
But Iraq’s oil ministry says it has no connection to the seized vessel.
In a statement, released to the Iraqi News Agency, the oil ministry said: “The ministry does not export diesel to the international market.”
Iranian State TV quoted IRGC commander Ramezan Zirahi as saying: “The IRGC’s naval forces have seized a foreign oil tanker in the Persian Gulf that was smuggling fuel for some Arab countries.”
It added authorities were seeking more information about who the vessel belonged to.
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Iran denied the ship was bound for Syria.
But in a seeming show of retaliation, the country lashed out by seizing the British flagged Stena Impero tanker.
The Stena Impero and its crew are still being detained.
Meanwhile, Britain – which described the Stena Impero’s capture as illegal – rejected the idea that it would release the Iranian tanker in exchange for the British-flagged vessel seized by the IRGC.
After several attacks in May and June on oil tankers – blamed by Washington on Tehran, which denied responsibility – Mr Trump has been trying to forge a military coalition to secure Gulf waters, though European allies have been loath to join for fear of provoking open conflict.
European parties to the deal – Britain, France and Germany – have insisted they will follow a more diplomatic course to defuse the ongoing crisis.
They have been trying to salvage the pact by exploring ways to shield Iran’s economy from US sanctions.
Tehran says it will continue to decrease its commitment to the nuclear agreement in various stages.
It also threatened to withdraw from the pact altogether unless the remaining signatories find a way of protecting its economy from the tough sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
On July 25, Britain said it had started sending a warship to accompany all British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.