Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Seize Two Ships in Persian Gulf

On Thursday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organization, reported the capture of two vessels in the Persian Gulf. These ships were allegedly involved in smuggling fuel.

Later in the day, a former Iranian official issued a stern warning, suggesting that any conflict with the United States could turn the Strait of Hormuz into “a place of carnage and hell.”

The state-aligned Tasnim News Agency shared details, stating that the tankers were seized near Farsi Island, where the Revolutionary Guards maintain a naval base. However, the report did not specify the flags these tankers were flying or the nationalities of the crew aboard.

The Revolutionary Guards claimed, late Thursday, that one of the ships was found to be smuggling around 1 million liters of illegal fuel. They also mentioned that 15 foreign crew members had been taken into custody by Iranian judicial authorities.

According to further statements from the Revolutionary Guards, these ships were under surveillance as part of a smuggling network that had been tracked for several months.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the Revolutionary Guards were involved in an incident where they attacked the US-flagged merchant vessel MV Stena Instructions, which was operating legally at sea. The American guided missile destroyer USS McFaul intervened and safely escorted the vessel away from the Revolutionary Guards.

Additionally, an Iranian drone approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aggressively, prompting the launch of an F-35C fighter jet to neutralize the drone.

Later that Thursday, Ezatollah Zarghami, a former minister and head of Iran’s state broadcasting organization, remarked that tensions with the U.S. could escalate further in the Persian Gulf. He confidently stated, “The Strait of Hormuz will become a place of carnage and hell for the United States,” insisting that Iran would assert its historical claims over the region.

Amidst these tensions, a meeting was scheduled between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman, as last-minute demands threatened to disrupt ongoing negotiations.