Iran Seizes False Flag Vessel in Increased Crackdown on Fuel Smuggling

 

Iranian officials announced the seizure of a new vessel in the Persian Gulf as they move to further crack down on fuel smuggling in the region. After reporting the latest seizure, saying the ship was registered in Eswatini (Swaziland), the African government quickly denied the ship, saying “the name of our country is being misused in a deeply irresponsible and criminal manner.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps reported the seizure, saying it was part of the ongoing monitoring of activity in the region. The unnamed vessel was intercepted, they said on November 30, and brought to Bushehr.

Aboard the vessel, the Iranians said they found 350,000 liters of gas oil. Under a court order, they expected the fuel to be offloaded to the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company in Bushehr. Aboard the vessel were 13 individuals, whom the Iranians identified as being from India and “a neighboring country.” The individuals have been detained. In the past, Iran has prosecuted the captains of vessels found smuggling and sentenced them to jail.

Eswatini’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport issued a statement highlighting that the “Kingdom has no operational ship registry, nor has the government appointed, mandated or authorized any individual, company, or foreign agent to register vessels on our behalf.” It said that anyone doing so was operating illegally and called them criminals. It condemned all efforts that represented ships registered in the country.

Iran has increased its seizures of vessels and efforts to stop smuggling. Reuters linked the crackdown to a further decline in the Iranian currency. The country’s officials called the smuggling a threat to the economy. Iran is known for its low fuel oil prices maintained by heavy government subsidies.

Iranian officials also announced an enforcement effort on November 29 in the Chabahar region. They did not specify the timing, but said a total of 24 vessels and 28 people had been stopped. They said the boats were carrying over 5,200 liters of fuel valued at nearly $1 million.

While most of the vessels Iran seizes accused of fuel smuggling are smaller, in mid-November, its forces stopped the Marshall Island-flagged 73,000 dwt oil tanker MV Talara. They asserted that the vessel was carrying 30,000 tonnes of petroleum products that were being transported "illegally" to Singapore. The tanker was released after five days without its cargo.