'Piracy, pure and simple’: Iran’s FM lashes out at UK over supertanker seizure

'Piracy, pure and simple’: Iran’s FM lashes out at UK over supertanker seizure ...
rt.com 08/07/2019 News

Keywords:#Britain, #British, #Damascus, #EU, #European, #European_Union, #Foreign_Ministry, #Gibraltar, #Iberian, #Iran, #Iranian, #Javad_Zarif, #Marines, #Reuters, #Royal_Navy, #Rt.com, #Spain, #Syria, #Tehran, #Twitter, #UK

Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif has issued a scathing takedown of the UK after that country’s seizure of an oil supertanker carrying Iranian crude off the coast of Gibraltar last week.
The Grace 1 supertanker © Reuters; inset Minister Javad Zarif © Global Look Press/dpa/Ameer Al Mohammedaw

* * * Questioning the legality of the UK’s move, Minister Zarif pointed out on Twitter that “Iran is neither a member of the EU nor subject to any European oil embargo”. The strongly worded message comes amid an ongoing row over the unprecedented seizure by British Royal Marines. “Last I checked, EU was against extraterritoriality,” he tweeted on Monday afternoon.
Iran is neither a member of the EU nor subject to any European oil embargo.
Last I checked, EU was against extraterritoriality.
UK's unlawful seizure of a tanker with Iranian oil on behalf of #B_Team is piracy, pure and simple.
It sets a dangerous precedent and must end now.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) July 8, 2019
“The UK’s unlawful seizure of a tanker with Iranian oil on behalf of #B_Team is piracy, pure and simple. It sets a dangerous precedent and must end now,” the minister added, echoing the sentiments of Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami.
British forces seized the Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1' off the shores of the southern Iberian coast last Thursday. Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo claimed the ship was en route to Syria, in breach of European Union sanctions against Damascus.
Tehran maintains that these allegations are false and that the UK had no legal right to seize the tanker.
UK’s seizure of Iranian oil tanker tantamount to ‘maritime robbery’ – Tehran defense minister

A British Royal Navy patrol vessel guards the oil supertanker Grace 1, that's on suspicion of carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria, as it sits anchored in waters of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, July 4, 2019. © Reuters/Jon Nazca

* * * Britain’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Gibraltar is unacceptable and tantamount to piracy, Defense Minister Amir Hatami has claimed.
In a speech broadcast live on state television on Monday, Hatami denounced the “threatening” actions taken by the Royal Marines, describing Britain’s detention of the Iranian vessel as similar to “maritime robbery.” He said that Iran would not tolerate such behavior.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman echoed Hatami’s sentiments, describing the incident as a clear case of “piracy.”
On Thursday, British marines and Gibraltar police seized ‘Grace 1,’ an Iranian super 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 EU sanctions placed on Damascus. Tehran has denied the accusation, insisting that the ship’s cargo was not destined for Syria.
Britain’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Gibraltar is unacceptable and tantamount to piracy, Defense Minister Amir Hatami has claimed.
In a speech broadcast live on state television on Monday, Hatami denounced the “threatening” actions taken by the Royal Marines, describing Britain’s detention of the Iranian vessel as similar to “maritime robbery.” He said that Iran would not tolerate such behavior.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman echoed Hatami’s sentiments, describing the incident as a clear case of “piracy.”
On Thursday, British marines and Gibraltar police seized ‘Grace 1,’ an Iranian super 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 EU sanctions placed on Damascus. Tehran has denied the accusation, insisting that the ship’s cargo was not destined for Syria.
--- ---
...