Iran's Navy seized a ship smuggling fuel and arrested the crew, state television said on Wednesday.

Iran has reported in recent weeks several boardings of ships in the sea lanes serving the Gulf, where a large part of the world's oil production originates and transits.

"A foreign vessel, carrying 550,000 liters of smuggled fuel, has been seized in Persian Gulf waters," said Mojtaba Ghahremani, head of the judiciary in the southern province of Hormozgan, on Wednesday.

Quoted by television, he added that the "seven crew members had been arrested", without specifying their nationality.

On Friday, Mr Ghahremani announced the seizure of two vessels, while at least three similar incidents were reported in April.

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