TEHRAN- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy troops seized a foreign oil ship carrying over a million gallons of illicit fuel in the Persian Gulf, the IRGC Navy announced on Monday.

The large haul of illicit petroleum was intercepted on June 6 at Iran’s southern maritime border, the commander of the IRGC Navy’s second naval zone told reporters.

The foreign vessel was getting military assistance from U.S. troops, according to General Ramezan Zirahi, but alertness, professional action, power, and precise response by the IRGC Navy stopped the Americans’ unlawful and unprofessional actions in the Persian Gulf.

He said that as Iranian soldiers were inspecting the “NADA 2” oil ship, which was systematically smuggling gas oil out of Iran, American forces engaged in a number of risky and unprofessional actions to thwart the legitimate seizure of the fuel.

During the operation, the IRGC servicemen discovered that the oil tanker’s captain was calling the U.S. command and control center to make plans for an escape, according to General Zirahi.

Zirahi added that the U.S. officer had instructed the oil tanker’s captain to turn off the engine and wait for American military forces to arrive for assistance.

In an attempt to thwart the seizure operation, the Americans sent two A-10 combat aircraft, a P-8A reconnaissance plane, two Hawk-C helicopters, an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle and patrol vessels to the area, the IRGC general explained.

However, he said, the IRGC forces responded professionally by issuing stern warnings to all American aircraft, drones, and vessels, and brought the oil tanker to Bushehr port for legal proceedings.