IRGC Seizes Foreign Tanker Smuggling Fuel in Persian Gulf

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the commander of the IRGC Navy’s second naval zone said the big haul of smuggled fuel was seized at Iran’s southern sea border on June 6.

General Ramezan Zirahi said the foreign vessel was receiving military support from the US forces, but the IRGC Navy’s vigilance, professional action, might and accurate response prevented the Americans’ illegal and unprofessional measures in the Persian Gulf.

He said while the Iranian forces were inspecting the ‘NADA 2’ oil tanker, which was smuggling Iran’s gas oil in an organized manner, the American forces took a series of unprofessional and dangerous measures to stop the legal seizure of the fuel.

The IRGC servicemen found out during the operation that the oil tanker’s captain was calling the US’ command and control center to make arrangements for an escape, General Zirahi said, adding that the US officer had instructed the oil tanker’s captain to switch off the engine and wait for the American military forces to come for help.

The IRGC general stated that the Americans flew two A-10 combat aircraft, a P-8A reconnaissance plane, two Hawk-C helicopters, as well as an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle, and dispatched patrol vessels to the zone in order to prevent the seizure operation, but the IRGC forces acted professionally, gave stern warnings to all American planes, drones and vessels, and brought the oil tanker to the Bushehr port for legal procedures.

In October 2021, the elite forces of the IRGC Navy responded to an American act of piracy targeting an Iranian fuel shipment.

During the operation, American forces confiscated the tanker that was carrying a cargo of Iranian oil in the strategic Sea of Oman, transferring its consignment of crude to another vessel.

The IRGC then staged a maritime operation against the second vessel, landing its helicopters on its deck and navigating the ship towards Iranian waters.