Iran’s coast guard has seized a tanker carrying around six million liters of smuggled diesel in the Gulf of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board. The vessel was intercepted near the southern Hormozgan province after its navigation system reportedly malfunctioned, leaving it adrift. Among those detained are citizens of Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, according to Iranian state media.

Authorities have not disclosed the nationality of the seized tanker. The operation marks the latest in a series of maritime enforcement actions by Iran against alleged fuel smuggling in regional waters. Last month, Iranian forces detained another vessel in the Persian Gulf under similar circumstances.

The seizure comes just days after the U.S. Navy captured a tanker off Venezuela’s coast, which Washington claimed was used for oil transport between Iran and Venezuela. Analysts suggest the timing underscores escalating maritime tensions and reciprocal enforcement moves between Tehran and Washington in contested shipping lanes.