Iran taking care of ecology in Hormuz Strait: Russia

Russian deputy foreign minister said Tehran’s arguments about its recent capture of a British oil tanker are “much more right than those” of London, adding that Iran is taking care of the ecology in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Arguments cited by the Iranian side to explain its actions are much more convincing than vague references to the European Union’s sanction law that were used by the Gibraltar authorities with the United Kingdom’s backing at the moment of the arrest of a Panama-flagged tanker carrying Iranian oil," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

"Iran’s arguments are much more right than those of Gibraltar and London who are indulging in piracy," he went on to say. "Iran is taking care of the ecology in the Strait of Hormuz."

Iranian officials says the vessel had switched off its GPS locator, in contravention of international regulations, and was sailing into the strategic waterway in a wrong traffic pattern.

The taker was transferred to the port of Iran’s southern city of Bandar Abbas for maritime casualty investigation.

SS