IRGC claims to have seized an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized a foreign oil tanker carrying more than 700,000 liters of smuggled fuel north of the Persian Gulf, its official news outlet Sepah News reported on Monday.

The report claimed that the Togo-flagged "Pearl G" tanker, owned by an Iraqi person residing in Dubai, was seized by the forces of the IRGC Navy's third region on Friday morning following a judicial order.

It added the oil tanker was loading smuggled fuel from Iranian vessels near the Arash oilfield when it was confiscated.

The oil tanker and its nine crew members, who have Indian nationality, have been transferred to Imam Khomeini Port in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan and are under supervision, the iRGC said.

The Persian Gulf has been an area of tensions between the US and Iran, which has several times seized foreign oil tankers.

The US announced last July it would be beefing up its use of fighter jets around the strategic Strait of Hormuz to protect ships from Iranian seizures.

Later, the Pentagon said that the United States will send additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a warship to the Middle East.

The US decided to beef up its presence in the region after Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strait, opening fire on one of them.

The Islamic Republic has threatened more than once to close the Strait of Hormuz, with the United States warning Iran in response that any attempt to close the strait would be viewed as a "red line" -- grounds for US military action.