India Says Iran has Not Permitted Contact with Crew of Seized Tanker

January 21 ------ India’s Embassy and Consulate in Iran went public with their complaint that Iranian authorities have not permitted consular access to the crew of a small product tanker that was seized a month ago, accused of smuggling. The public statement posted on X came after the families of the 16 crewmembers made a personal appeal to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the Embassy, Iranian authorities notified them in mid-December that the tanker Valiant Roar (13,754 dwt) had been stopped on allegations of fuel smuggling. The ship was brought into port in Iran, with the Embassy saying it was advised there were 16 Indian nationals aboard, as well as one from Sri Lanka, and another from Bangladesh.

The vessel was one of several that the Iranian authorities seized in a crackdown on fuel smuggling. Iran reported stopping a tanker in the Gulf of Oman in mid-December, which it said was smuggling six million liters of diesel fuel. The situation was further complicated by Iran’s assertion that the vessel was operating without “valid maritime travel documents or a cargo manifest for its fuel shipment.”

Less than two weeks later, Iran stopped another tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. They said the vessel had four million gallons of oil, which was being shuttled to another tanker waiting outside the Gulf.

In the past, Iran has reported prosecutions of the officers of the seized vessels. In the spring of 2025, it announced long jail sentences and fines for the captain and senior officers of two vessels stopped for smuggling. The Indian Embassy says it filed a request on December 14 for access to the crew. It says both it and the consulate in Bandar Abbas have made formal requests in writing and in person for access to the crew. The ambassador has also become involved in seeking access.

India wants to meet with the crew and is also asking the Iranian authorities to let the crew contact their families. The reports said Iran confiscated the crew’s phones and electronics. They are also asking the Iranian authorities to expeditiously complete any judicial proceedings.

The Indian authorities said they also intervened with the Iranian Navy earlier this month after they received reports that the crew was running out of basic supplies. They wanted the Iranian Navy to aid in facilitating emergency provisions.

The vessel is reportedly owned and managed by a company based in Dubai. The Embassy said it immediately established contact with the UAE-based company as well as its agents in Iran. They are pressing the company to ensure the supply of food, water, and fuel for the ship. They have also asked the company to arrange legal representation for the crew in the Iranian court.

Source: maritime-executive.com