According to a February 5 report by Agence France-Presse cited by Reference News, Iran's Tasnim News Agency stated on the 4th that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had seized two oil tankers carrying foreign crew members in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

The vessels were detained on suspicion of “fuel smuggling,” with over one million liters of fuel seized.

The flags of the vessels and the nationalities of the crew members have not yet been disclosed. Fifteen foreign crew members have been handed over to Iranian judicial authorities.

The operation took place near Fars Island in the Persian Gulf. Iranian authorities stated that through naval surveillance, interception, and intelligence verification, these two tankers had been engaged in smuggling activities for several months.

It should be noted that Iran's armed forces have conducted similar operations against tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf multiple times in recent years, often citing the crackdown on illegal fuel trade as justification.

As a critical global transit route for oil and liquefied natural gas, any maritime law enforcement or military action in the Strait of Hormuz is likely to draw significant market and geopolitical attention.