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UPDATE 1-Iran seizes ship with Filipino crew for alleged fuel smuggling in Gulf

Published 09/07/2019, 07:05 PM
Updated 09/07/2019, 07:10 PM
UPDATE 1-Iran seizes ship with Filipino crew for alleged fuel smuggling in Gulf

(Adds details, legal gasoline exports rising, background)
DUBAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Iran's coast guard has seized a
foreign tugboat suspected of smuggling fuel in the Gulf and
detained its 12 Filipino crew members, state television reported
on Saturday.
It said the tugboat was carrying nearly 284,000 litres of
diesel. The report did not say what national flag the vessel was
flying.
Iran, which has some of the world's cheapest fuel due to
heavy state subsidies, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling
overland to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab
states. It has frequently seized boats it says are being used
for smuggling fuel in the Gulf. The incidents come at a time of tensions between Iran and
the West in the Gulf that have been rising since the United
States exited world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran last
year and reimposed sanctions.
While Iranian media reports say an estimated 10 million
litres of fuel are smuggled per day, Tehran has been promoting
legal gasoline exports through its energy bourse.
Gasoline sales hit a record high of $72 million last week on
the Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX) for exports to neighbouring
countries, according to state TV.
The stand-off between Iran and the United States triggered
by Washington's withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May last
year has stirred fears of a Gulf war with global repercussions.
In July, Iran seized a British oil tanker near the Strait of
Hormuz for alleged marine violations, two weeks after British
forces detained an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar accused of
taking oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.
The Iranian tanker was later released. Iran this week freed
seven of the 23 crew members of the British-flagged tanker.


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