Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they seized an UAE-managed tanker called the Ambrey in the Gulf on Thursday. They accused it of smuggling fuel.
The vessel had seven foreign crew on board and was carrying nearly 850,000 liters of smuggled fuel from Iranian smugglers, according to statement on IRG’s website.
It said the crew were from India, Pakistan, Lithuania and the Philippines. They were detained and handed over to judicial authorities over the fuel smuggling.
The ship’s UAE-based owner Rawabi Shipping said in a statement it had lost contact with the vessel on Wednesday evening local time. It said the tanker was transporting fuel from UAE to UAE ports without providing any details.
Tensions have escalated between Iran and Gulf Arab states allied with the US since 2019. Several ships owned or operated by Iran, Israel, UAE and others have been targeted in explosions and attacks in regional waters.
The incident comes as nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are at a standstill, raising concerns about further tensions. Western nations have warned time is running out to resurrect a 2015 nuclear pact.
Source: Reuters
