Iran state TV says 11 foreigners held for fuel smuggling

Iranian state television said authorities arrested 11 foreign nationals on suspicion of trying to smuggle fuel out of the country.

State television reported on Wednesday that border guards arrested the suspects in southern Iran after intelligence reports of smuggling attempts using a tugboat in Gulf waters. It did not give their nationalities.

During a search of the boat, border guards found 382,000 litres of diesel fuel, state television said.

Iranian authorities have for years sought to curb fuel smuggling, particularly in the south along the Gulf, where it has contributed to local shortages.

The arrests come as Iran faces difficulty importing enough fuel to meet demand while the United States maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Washington imposed the blockade in retaliation for Tehran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the Middle East war broke out in February.

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on citizens on Tuesday to reduce petrol consumption. Long queues have formed at filling stations in Tehran in recent days.