Iran has seized two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, escalating tensions with the U.S. ahead of critical diplomatic talks scheduled for Friday in Oman.
Iran seized two foreign oil tankers on Thursday, accusing them of smuggling fuel and detaining 15 foreign crew members. This incident occurred just hours before high-stakes U.S.–Iran negotiations set to take place in Oman.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy reported that it intercepted the two vessels near Farsi Island, claiming they were carrying approximately 1 million liters of smuggled fuel, as noted by Reuters. The crews, consisting of 15 foreign nationals, have been taken into custody and referred to Iranian judicial authorities, according to state media.
The IRGC alleged that the ships were part of an organized fuel-smuggling network that had been operating in the region for several months. Iranian officials stated that the vessels were identified through intelligence monitoring and seized during coordinated naval operations in the Persian Gulf, a critical route for global energy markets.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Iranian authorities characterized the operation as a significant blow to illegal fuel trafficking, although they did not immediately disclose the nationalities or destinations of the seized vessels.
The seizures come amid an increasingly hostile rhetoric from Iranian officials toward the United States. Ezzatollah Zarghami, a former Iranian minister and ex-state broadcaster chief, issued a stark warning, threatening to turn the Strait of Hormuz into a “massacre and hell” for U.S. forces. He emphasized that the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and petroleum product consumption passes, has historically belonged to Iran.
“I am sure that the Strait of Hormuz will be the place of massacre and hell for the U.S.,” Zarghami stated on Thursday. He further asserted that the only actions the Americans could take would be to maneuver their vessels without any real impact.
Zarghami reiterated his threats, describing the Strait as a potential “killing field” for American forces, signaling Iran’s readiness to escalate tensions amid increasing regional pressure.
On the diplomatic front, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet with Iranian officials in Oman on Friday. The pair are traveling from Abu Dhabi after two days of discussions related to Russia and Ukraine.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Thursday that the talks would proceed as planned, emphasizing that “diplomacy is always [Trump’s] first option.”
As tensions rise in the region, the international community will be closely monitoring the developments surrounding these incidents and the outcomes of the upcoming negotiations.
According to Reuters, the situation remains fluid, and further actions from both sides could significantly impact regional stability.