Iran: Oil tanker seized by UK not bound for Syria

Iran says an oil supertanker seized by Britain in Gibraltar was not carrying oil to Syria, denouncing the seizure as “maritime piracy”.

“Contrary to Britain’s announcement, the tanker was not bound for Syria, and the port mentioned is not capable of receiving such a tanker,” Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters at a news conference in Tehran Sunday, Press TV reported.

The seized tanker is a 2 million barrel capacity very large crude carrier (VLCC), Araqchi said, adding it could not pass through the Suez Canal and that was why it had to go the extra mile through Gibraltar.

The tanker was in international waters when it was encroached on, he said, disputing London's claims that Royal Marines boarded the ship off the coast of the British territory.

Spain has said it planned to lodge a formal complaint about the action, because it considers the sea around Gibraltar to be part of its international waters. Spanish authorities have said the seizure came at the request of the US.

"In this regard, the law will take its course. This is a maritime piracy; the tanker was in international waters," Araqchi said, adding Iran had summoned the British ambassador to Tehran twice in protest. 

"We hope the tanker issue will be resolved soon," he said. 

On Friday, a former chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran should consider seizing a British oil tanker in response to the seizure. 

“If Britain does not release the Iranian oil tanker, it is the authorities’ duty to seize a British oil tanker,” Mohsen Rezai said on Twitter.

SS