Iran denies link to three oil tankers seized by India near Mumbai in smuggling probe
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran denies link to three oil tankers seized by India near Mumbai in smuggling probe")
Iran seizes three oil tankers near Mumbai Photograph: (Screenshots X videos)
Iran has denied connections to three suspicious oil tankers seized by India near Mumbai from the nation's exclusive economic zone. What exactly were these ships doing in India's waters? Here's what Tehran said.
India's seizure of three oil tankers suspected of involvement in illicit fuel transfers has drawn a response from Iran. Tehran on Monday (Feb 16) denied any connection to the vessels or their cargo. This comes as India, in a post on X on February 6, announced that its forces intercepted three vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after detecting suspicious activity involving a tanker in India's exclusive economic zone.
What did Iran say?
Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company, said the three ships apprehended by Indian authorities had no connection to the oil company. The development follows reports that India intercepted three US-sanctioned tankers earlier this month as part of a wider effort to curb illegal oil trade in its maritime zone.
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Tankers seized near Mumbai
The Indian Coast Guard on February 6 on X announced that it had "busted an international oil-smuggling racket" and seized the vessels Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia roughly 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after detecting suspicious ship-to-ship transfer activity in India's exclusive economic zone. The official post about the operation alleged that the ships "frequently change identity," but did not mention Iran. “The syndicate exploited mid-sea transfers in international waters to move cheap oil from conflict-ridden regions to motor tankers, evading duties owed to coastal states…The vessels known to frequently change identity, are being escorted to Mumbai for further legal action, reinforcing India's role as a net provider of maritime security and guardian of the rules based International order,” read the post, which has since been deleted.
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Citing sources with knowledge of the matter, Reuters reports that India has also stepped up maritime monitoring following the incident. Around 55 Coast Guard ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft have reportedly been deployed to maintain round-the-clock surveillance across key sea lanes.
Iran denies involvement
Iranian media reports said the National Iranian Oil Company rejected claims circulating online linking the seized vessels to Tehran’s oil exports.
However, shipping data cited in international reporting suggests at least two of the tankers may have had past connections to Iran-related trade. The vessel Al Jafzia reportedly transported fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025, while Stellar Ruby has previously been flagged in Iran, as per LSEG data. The third ship, Asphalt Star, has largely operated on routes connected to China.
