Media outlets in Iran reported that the Indian Navy has seized three oil tankers linked to the Iranian regime for violating international sanctions.
According to these reports, the reason for the seizure of the three oil tankers was “illegal activities such as oil smuggling.”
Domestic media added that these tankers, which belonged to a single company, were placed on the United States sanctions list in 2025.
The Indian Coast Guard had earlier announced in a statement that on February 6, it had dismantled an international oil smuggling network in a precise and coordinated maritime-aerial operation.
On 06 Feb 26, @IndiaCoastGuard busted an International oil-smuggling racket in a meticulously coordinated sea–air operation. The syndicate exploited mid-sea transfers in international waters to move cheap oil from conflict ridden regions to motor tankers, evading duties owed to… pic.twitter.com/erJ31U4xyH
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) February 7, 2026
The statement said that the network transferred cargo at sea and in international waters, moving cheap oil from crisis-stricken regions to oil tankers and, through this method, evaded paying legal duties to coastal countries.
The Indian Coast Guard added that continuous inspections, analysis of electronic data, and interrogation of the crews clarified the operating methods [of these tankers] and their links to a globally directed network.”
According to the agency, the three “suspicious” vessels, known for frequently changing their identities, were stopped at a distance of about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai and were directed toward the port of Mumbai to undergo legal proceedings.
However, TankerTrackers reported on February 7 that three oil tankers named Stellar Ruby, Al Jafzia, and Asphalt Star were seized by India, all of which are on Washington’s sanctions list.
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According to TankerTrackers, the oil tanker “Stellar Ruby” was operating under the Iranian flag.
In recent months, the Iranian regime has sought to bypass U.S. oil sanctions through a “shadow fleet.” This network of oil tankers transports sanctioned oil by changing flags, turning off tracking systems, transferring cargo from ship to ship, and using opaque ownership structures.
On the other hand, Washington has sought to disrupt the activities of the Iranian regime’s shadow fleet by imposing targeted sanctions.
In the latest move, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on February 7 the imposition of new sanctions against a network of ships, companies, and individuals linked to Iran’s oil trade.
In the new sanctions package, the names of 14 vessels, 15 commercial entities, and two individuals appear.
On February 6, U.S. President Donald Trump, in a new executive order, extended the “national emergency” against Iran and established a new mechanism for imposing tariffs on countries that engage in economic transactions with the Iranian regime.
