The situation in the Persian Gulf has escalated further. Iran’s state-run media reported on July 18 that the Revolutionary Guard detained a foreign tanker suspected of smuggling oil and 12 people on board, but did not specify which country the tanker came from.
According to the report, the tanker was suspected of obtaining oil from Iranian smugglers and then selling it to foreign buyers. The Revolutionary Guard was in the waters south of Larak Island on the Strait of Hormuz. Intercept the ship.
It is currently unknown which country the tanker came from. The Associated Press reported that US officials suspected that a tanker from the United Arab Emirates, Riah, was detained in Iranian waters. The ship has a Panamanian flag. It did not follow the usual route after departing from the United Arab Emirates a few days ago, and then disappeared after entering the Iranian waters.
Iran’s relations with Western countries have deteriorated. The British military seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar in early July, alleging that it was suspected of violating the oil ban on Syria, which led to strong dissatisfaction from Iran. After the British Petroleum Corporation’s (British Heritage) tanker “British Heritage” sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on July 10, it was reported that Iran had tried to detain the tanker but failed after the British troops sent the frigate to intervene.
