Iran says it has seized two foreign tankers for fuel smuggling. The latter were smuggling fuel into the Gulf, according to Iranian authorities. The ships, named Steven and Crown, carried more than 1.5 million liters of Iranian oil and gas. The US military has stepped up its presence in the Persian Gulf, alleging that Iran is trying to seize ships in this strategic sea route for global trade. The U.S. accused Iranian forces of carrying out two similar attempts off the coast of Oman.