IRGC Seizes Saudi Fishing Vessel

Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that a Saudi fishing vessel that "entered Iranian waters" was seized by the IRGC's second naval zone forces in Bushehr province. This incident occurred three weeks after reports of the arrest of three Iranian fishermen by the Saudi border guard. On Friday, July 6, Fars cited an "informed source" who remained unnamed, stating that the fishing vessel had "entered Iranian waters from the port of Darin in Saudi Arabia." Fars continued that the vessel was seized in the waters of Bushehr province and that four crew members were arrested, with "investigations ongoing." The seizure of this fishing vessel comes after Iranian officials reported that Saudi border guard forces shot at three Iranian fishing boats on June 16, resulting in the death of one fisherman and the arrest of three others by Saudi forces. However, the Saudi Ministry of Security labeled the detainees as IRGC members, claiming they were approaching Saudi oil platforms in the Gulf aboard an armed boat. Iranian officials have denied this accusation. Following these reports, the newspaper Al-Riyadh reported on Sunday, June 24, that "Saudi security agents arrested three more Iranians three days before the 'terrorist operation at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.'" Aladdin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, described this report as "clumsy news-making" and "media mischief." Additionally, Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesman for this commission, warned that "Iran could retaliate against the Saudis by arresting dozens of Saudi citizens." Meanwhile, on Thursday, July 6, Saudi Arabia released five fishermen from Bushehr and Genaveh who had been detained by the Saudi naval guard last year. The reciprocal arrests of citizens from both countries occurred amid severely strained relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have escalated following Donald Trump's visit to Riyadh. In this context, several Iranian officials, without providing evidence, have accused Saudi Arabia of being involved in the attack on the Iranian Parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini. Riyadh officials have denied these accusations.