Hatami's Response to Netanyahu's Statements on 'Maritime Counteraction Against Iranian Oil Smuggling'

In response to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements regarding the role of his country's navy 'to counter Iranian oil smuggling', Iran's Minister of Defense has stated that 'the Islamic Republic has the necessary capability to address this issue and will respond firmly if it arises'. According to the IRNA news agency, Amir Hatami also added, 'The international community will not accept this either.' On March 6, Netanyahu accused Iran of 'circumventing oil sanctions via the sea' during a speech to members of his navy, adding that the Israeli navy has a 'more important role' in preventing this. Netanyahu did not provide much detail on how to 'counter' Iranian 'oil smuggling', but emphasized that 'Iran is trying to circumvent sanctions through covert oil smuggling in maritime routes; the more these efforts (by Iran) expand, the more important the navy's role becomes in attempting to prevent these Iranian actions.' A week after these statements were made, this is the first time the Iranian Minister of Defense has reacted. Mr. Hatami told the state news agency IRNA, 'Certainly, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have the capability to support the country's shipping lines in the best way possible in the event of any potential threats.' The IRNA news agency further referred to the military equipment of the Iranian navy, stating that this force possesses 'indigenous destroyers', 'customized destroyers', and 'heavy and semi-heavy submarines' capable of using 'various cruise missiles, torpedoes, and anti-ship missiles'. According to publicly available information, the Israeli navy owns several Sa'ar-class corvettes, which are light corvettes. Israel also has several submarines, missile boats, and patrol boats. This force is equipped with precision-guided missiles such as Barak, Gabriel, or Harpoon and is supported by the Israeli Air Force. Despite Israeli air force attacks on Iranian forces and targets related to the Islamic Republic in Syria over the past few years, Netanyahu's statements last week regarding maritime 'counteraction' are new. Reuters previously reported that it is unclear how Israel can stop the activities of oil-carrying ships from Iran unless it wants to enter into a 'direct maritime conflict' with Iranian tankers. Some observers say Iran circumvents oil sanctions by transferring oil from ship to ship in the heart of the seas or by using flagless tankers. Some sources have also said that Iranian tankers deactivate their signaling systems and only reactivate them when they have delivered their cargo and are returning near Iranian borders. Officials from the Trump administration have emphasized their intention to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero. However, Iranian officials claim that such a thing is not feasible.