Iranian regime: Britain's seizure of oil tanker was threatening act

Britain’s seizing of an Iranian oil tanker last week was a threatening act that will not be tolerated, Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Hatami said on Monday (July 8) in a speech broadcast live on Iranian regime television.

Royal Marines impounded the tanker in Gibraltar on Thursday on suspicion it was carrying oil to Assad regime in violation of European Union sanctions. Iranian regime denies the vessel was headed to Syria.

Authorities in the British territory said the tanker can be held for up to 14 days. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander threatened to seize a British ship in retaliation.

“These days we witnessed a threatening act from the government of England in the Strait of Gibraltar against a tanker from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Hatami said. “This is an incorrect and wrong action, an action similar to maritime robbery...certainly these kind of robberies will not be tolerated.”

The tanker was not headed to Syria, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, without specifying the final destination of the vessel.

Separately, Iranian army chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said on Monday that Iran is not looking for war with any country, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Based on Reuters