Iranian Forces Seize 2 Fuel Vessels in Persian Gulf, State Media Says

Iranian state media reported on Feb. 5 the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized a pair of fuel tankers operating in the Persian Gulf, at a moment of heightened tensions across the Middle East.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said the IRGC captured the vessels operating near Farsi Island, situated at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.

The Republican Guard corps accused the ships of taking part in a smuggling operation and said they were carrying around 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of illicit fuel.

Iranian forces also captured 15 foreign nationals who had crewed the two vessels and handed them over to the courts to begin legal proceedings.

The incident comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if it doesn’t agree to new limits on its nuclear development and military capabilities.

Last month, as part of his growing pressure campaign on Tehran, Trump announced he had directed an armada of U.S. warships to the Middle East.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)—which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East—last week warned the IRGC to avoid provocative actions near U.S. forces, regional partners, or commercial vessels operating in the region.

On Feb. 3, CENTCOM reported a U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.

The same day, it said a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and U.S. military aircraft also intervened on Feb. 3 as IRGC boats and an Iranian drone began to circle a U.S.-flagged commercial vessel operating near the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to a request for comment about the vessel seizure in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, a Pentagon spokesperson told The Epoch Times, “We do not have anything to provide on this.”

U.S. and Iranian delegations are scheduled to travel to Oman for a round of talks on Feb. 6.

Talks were originally set to take place in Turkey on Friday.

A White House official said the meeting was rescheduled after several Arab and Muslim leaders urged the Trump administration not to withdraw.

The White House official said Washington agreed to the meeting out of respect for its Arab allies but remains skeptical about its prospects for success.

In an interview with NBC News on Feb. 4, Trump said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should be very worried.”

During that interview, Trump noted a June operation in which U.S. forces, including B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Trump warned that if Iran resumes its nuclear program, he would send bombers “right back” to “do their job again.”

Earlier this week, Khamenei issued a statement warning that “anyone who seeks to attack or cause harm will face a decisive blow from the Iranian nation.”

Emel Akan and Jack Phillips contributed to this report.