Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, a branch of Iranian Armed Forces, seized a vessel on Monday in Gulf for allegedly smuggling 250,000 litres of diesel fuel to United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iran's semi-official Students News ncy (ISNA) reported that vessel was detained near Iran’s Greater Tunb in Persian Gulf. “ crew have been handed over to legal authorities in sourn Hormozgan province,” said ISNA. While crew has been handed over to competent authorities, identities and nationalities of crew were t divulged by ISNA.

Rampant smuggling in Iran

Iran has been struggling with rampant fuel smuggling from its land to neighbouring countries due to its cheap fuel prices resulting from heavy subsidies. fall of its national currency, rial, has also ded to woes of country. To fight against prevalent smuggling, Iran has stepped up its vigilance in recent times. Earlier this month, Iran’s coast guards detained 12 Filpi members after y seized a vessel for smuggling fuel in Gulf.

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US-Iran tension

seizure comes after drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on world’s largest oil processing facility and a major oil field in Saudi Arabia. United States h blamed Iran for involvement in drone attack which y promptly denied. In April, US h designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, an entity of Iranian government, as a foreign terrorist organisation. "This unprecedented step, led by Department of State, recognizes reality that Iran is t only a state sponsor of terrorism, but that IRGC actively participates in, finances and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft," President Donald Trump h said.

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Seizure continues

In July, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps h captured a British Vessel in Strait of Hormuz two weeks after an Iranian tanker was seized by United Kingdom just off coast of Gibraltar. Senior officials in Tehran told reporters that Iran’s seizure of a British oil tanker was a response to Britain’s role in impounding an Iranian supertanker first. However, UK h accused Iranian tanker of taking oil to Syria in violation of European Union (EU) sanctions.

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