MP:

UK after Pleasing US with Seizing Iranian Tanker

Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnour lashed out at London for “illegally” seizing an oil tanker of his country in the Strait of Hormuz, underlining that the UK move was to meet the United States' anti-Tehran purposes.

News ID: 446165

Date: 27 July 2019 - 09:53

RNA - Zonnour said late on Thursday that the UK’s act to seize tanker carrying Iran oil was illegal and in line with fulfilling US administration’s aims.

Speaking to reporters, the senior lawmaker said the UK move in fact indicated US anger of Iran’s recent behavior toward Trump specially as regard Japanese Prime Minister’s trip to Iran and shooting down US spy drone in the Persian Gulf.

Due to the fact that US has no power in Gibraltar, it has made UK to commit vivid piracy, he added.

Despite the fact that UK is no longer a member of the EU, it has confiscated the Iranian tanker on the pretext of violating EU sanctions, he noted.

As Western experts confessed, this tanker with the capacity of carrying 2 million barrels of oil will not be able to berth in Syrian ports, Zonnour said.

Iran has started its diplomatic efforts for releasing this supertanker, he said adding that the UK will not be able to continue seizing this tanker based on the international regulations.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he referred to seizing UK oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz, saying it was not a retaliatory act, stressing that the UK tanker has violated the Iranian waters regulations.

Earlier, Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad said Iran has presented detailed information regarding UK oil tanker Stena Impero violations in the Strait of Hormuz to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

After having crash in region, the UK tanker has breached the maritime regulations by entering exit oath and turning off the navigation system, he added.

Referring to US claims as regard destroying an Iranian drone in the Persian Gulf, Zonnour said if this is the case US should release its pictures.

Earlier, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami rejected reports on an Iranian drone shot-down by US navy.

Last Friday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy impounded, British oil tanker, Stena Impero, when it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz en route to Saudi Arabia "for failing to respect international maritime rules”.

"UK tanker ship, Stena Impero, has been detained by the vessels unit of the IRGC Navy's First Naval Zone at the request of the Ports and Maritime Organization's office of Hormuzgan province for disregarding international maritime rules and regulations as it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz this afternoon," the statement by the IRGCN public relations said.

The statement added that the ship had been escorted to the Iranian coastal waters in Hormuzgan province and its control had been transferred to the Ports and Maritime Organization for further legal procedures and investigations.

A statement by Stena Impero shipping firm had announced there were 23 crew onboard the UK ship, stating that there had been no report on any harm or injury to the crew members since the vessel came under detention by the Iranian forces.

Director-General of the Ports and Maritime Organization's office in Hurmuzgan province stated that he filed a request for the seizure of the British tanker by the IRGCN after reports on its risky moves that made the vessel prone to accident.

Sources said that the British ship had switched off its tracking systems in violation of maritime rules and regulations and was making an entry from the exit point of the Strait of Hormuz in the South, disregarding the established procedures that require all entries be made through the Northern pass.

Director General of the Ports and Maritime Organization's office of Hormuzgan province Allah Morad Afifipour stated Saturday that the British oil tanker was seized because it ignored calls from a fishing boat after an accident in the waterway.

"The British oil tanker, Stena Impero, had an accident with a fishing boat on its way and according to the law, the reason and other issues related to the accident should be studied," Afifipour told FNA.

He added that sailors on the damaged fishing boat had contacted the British vessel, but the tanker had ignored their calls.

"When the British vessel did not respond to the fishing vessel, they informed Ports and Maritime Organization's office of Hormuzgan province according to the legal procedures," Afifipour said, noting that his office had requested the Judiciary and the IRGC to stop the British tanker.

Also, the UK owned tanker, MV Mesdar, operating under Liberian flag was stopped by Iran's naval patrols in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening after it started oil leaks in the waterway.

The ship was sent back to the international waters to continue its voyage after a short time and after it was warned to show full respect for environmental regulations and harmless navigation.

Senior military officials also rejected reports by some western media outlets claiming that the Liberian-flagged tanker had been seized, stressing that 'Stena Impero' was the only foreign ship under Iranian custody.

In early July, British marines and Gibraltar police seized an Iranian tanker off the Southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo claimed that the ship was transporting crude oil to Syria “in violation” of the EU sanctions placed on Damascus. Washington has applauded the move, hailing it as a sign that Europe is on board with the US’ unilateral sanctions against Iran.

According to Fars News Agancy, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the “illegal move” of London and described it as “tantamount to piracy”. Tehran accused the UK of doing Washington’s bidding and helping the US attempt to stifle the Islamic Republic’s oil exports, rejecting London's claim that the supertanker was carrying crude for Syria.

The attorney general announced on Friday that Gibraltar's supreme court has ruled that the Iranian tanker seized by Britain's Royal Marines can be detained for 30 more days. The court's decision came a day after a senior Gibraltar's official described as “constructive” talks with Iran, raising hopes that the tanker would be released imminently.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has slammed Britain’s illegal seizure of the oil tanker, warning London of a pending response to the seizure of the supertanker that he referred to as a case of "piracy".

Last Thursday, naval forces of the IRGC seized a foreign ship smuggling fuel in the Persian Gulf, according to a statement by the public relations office of the IRGC Navy's first zone. The foreign vessel was smuggling a million liters of fuel from Iran and was seized in Iranian waters South of Lark island. Yet, a statement issued by the IRGC on Thursday denied that any other foreign ship had been seized during the last week as claimed by the western media. The statement reiterated that the ship had been seized for "smuggling fuel from Iran", and no other reason.

The recent moves by foreign powers in the Middle East such as US sanctions on Tehran's oil, UK seizure of Iranian supertanker, as well as, "sabotage operations" on oil ships have intensified the turmoil in the region and the turmoil in the international energy market, affecting global crude prices in recent months.

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