Iran seizes Eswatini-flagged vessel for smuggling fuel

Iran seized an Eswatini-flagged ship carrying 350,000 liters of smuggled fuel off Bushehr, detaining its 13 crew amid ongoing efforts to curb fuel smuggling.

Iran seized on Sunday an Eswatini-flagged vessel carrying 350,000 litres of smuggled fuel, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

“We seized a vessel carrying smuggled fuel in the form of gasoil and flying Swaziland’s (Eswatini) flag. It was brought to Bushehr’s coast following a judicial order and its content will be unloaded,” a Revolutionary Guards navy commander said, adding the vessel’s 13 crew were from India and one neighbouring country.

Iran, which has some of the world’s lowest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states.

This is a developing story.