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Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, accusing them of fuel smuggling and detaining 15 foreign crew members, ahead of high-stakes U.S.–Iran talks Friday in Oman.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said it intercepted the two ships near Farsi Island, claiming they were carrying about 1 million liters of smuggled fuel, Reuters reported.
The crews — made up of 15 foreign nationals — were taken into custody and referred to Iran’s judicial authorities, according to Iranian state media.
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The IRGC alleged the vessels were part of an organized fuel-smuggling network that had been operating in the region for several months.
Iranian officials said the ships were identified through intelligence monitoring and seized during coordinated naval operations in the Persian Gulf, a vital artery for global energy markets.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Iranian authorities framed the operation as a significant blow to illegal fuel trafficking, though they did not immediately disclose the vessels’ nationalities or destinations.
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The seizures come as Iranian rhetoric toward the U.S. has grown hostile.
Former Iranian minister and ex–state broadcaster chief Ezzatollah Zarghami issued a warning, threatening violence in the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world’s oil and petroleum product consumption passes.
“I am sure that the Strait of Hormuz will be the place of massacre and hell for the U.S.,” Zarghami said Thursday.
“Iran will show that the Strait of Hormuz has historically belonged to Iran. The only thing the Americans can think of is playing with their vessels and moving them from one place to another,” he added.
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Zarghami later repeated the threat, calling the Strait a potential “killing field” for American forces and signaling Iran’s willingness to escalate amid mounting regional pressure.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Oman on Friday.
The pair are traveling from Abu Dhabi after two days of talks related to Russia and Ukraine.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Friday’s talks were still on, stating that “diplomacy is always [Trump’s] first option,” she told reporters.
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