An Iranian judicial official in Tehran has announced a $170 million fine demand against the purported Israeli owner of a cargo vessel that was seized by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf last year. The official accused the owner of “financing terrorism.”
Seizure and Fine Details
- Vessel Seizure: The cargo vessel was intercepted by IRGC commandos in April 2024. Footage showed the commandos rappelling down onto the deck of the vessel, which was last located off Dubai and heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was carrying 25 international crew members, who were subsequently detained.
- The Accused Party: The official Iranian IRNA news agency asserted that the vessel was managed by a firm belonging to “Zionist capitalist” Eyal Ofer, who Forbes had recently ranked as the wealthiest Israeli. The vessel was leased on a long-term basis from a title-holder affiliate of a maritime firm partly owned by Ofer.
- Fine Demand: Iranian judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir announced that a fine of $170 million had been demanded against the owner, who is of Israeli origin. Jahangir stated that the value of the seized vessel, excluding its cargo, was estimated at $170 million. Charges have been filed, and the case is before the courts, though no trial date has been set.
International Reaction and Regional Context
- US and Israel Response: The United States denounced the seizure of the vessel as an act of piracy and called for the release of the crew. Israel’s foreign minister at the time called on the European Union to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, denouncing Iran as a “criminal regime.”
- Crew Status: At least some of the 25 international crew members were later freed.
- Wider Tensions: The seizure of the vessel occurred amid heightened regional tensions. Hours after the incident, Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israel, firing hundreds of drones and missiles, which was itself a response to a strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus two weeks earlier that killed seven IRGC members.
- Previous Incidents: Ships tied to the same business magnate have been attacked by Iran in the past. These incidents include an oil tanker partially owned by him being targeted by an Iranian suicide drone in February 2023, and another oil tanker operated by his company being hit in August 2021, resulting in the deaths of two crewmen.
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Source: Times of Israel
