The British oil tanker Stena Impero, which is believed to have been captured by Iran.
Camera IconThe British oil tanker Stena Impero, which is believed to have been captured by Iran. Credit: AP

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seizes British oil tankers in Gulf amid escalating tensions

The Sun, wiresNews Corp Australia Network

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says that Tehran’s seizure of a UK-flagged oil tanker showed “worrying signs Iran may be choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising behaviour”.

And it came as a powerful council in Iran said today the country’s seizure of the British oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz was in response to Britain’s role in impounding Iranian supertanker Grace 1 two weeks earlier.

The Iranian Students’ News Agency, a student-run news organisation partially funded by the Iranian government, released video today showing the Stena Impero after its seizure by Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday it had seized the Swedish-owned Stena Impero in the Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz for breaking “international maritime rules”.

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The incident came hours after a court in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar said it would extend by 30 days the detention of Grace 1, seized in an operation aided by British Royal Marines on allegations of breaching EU sanctions against Syria.

Hunt said on Twitter that seizing the Stena Impero showed “worrying signs Iran may be choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising behaviour after Gibraltar’s LEGAL detention of oil bound for Syria.

“Our reaction will be considered but robust. We have been trying to find a way to resolve Grace 1 issue but WILL ensure the safety of our shipping.”

The British oil tanker Stena Impero at unknown location.
Camera IconThe British oil tanker Stena Impero at unknown location. Credit: AP

On Friday Hunt warned of “serious consequences” if Iran did not swiftly release the tanker.

“We are absolutely clear that if this situation is not resolved quickly there will be serious consequences,” he told Sky News.

He condemned the act as “unacceptable”.

British cabinet minister James Brokenshire said the seizure of the tanker was “completely intolerable” and said London was still seeking to establish diplomatic connections with Tehran over the incident.

“The actions of the Iranians is completely unacceptable. It is so important that we maintain this free navigation through the Gulf,” the housing secretary told BBC radio.

“We want to see this matter resolved in a diplomatic way. The Iranians need to release this vessel as quickly as possible.”

David Richards, the professional head of Britain’s armed forces from 2010 to 2013, said Britain’s options were “pretty limited” in what military action it could take without the support of allies such as the United States, should economic sanctions fail to resolve the situation.

“The Royal Navy, if you’re looking at that in the first instance, is just too small to have a significant effect without being with allies,” he told BBC radio.

International reaction is building with Germany calling on Iran to release the tanker “immediately”. The seizure was a “dangerous further aggravation of an already tense situation,” a foreign ministry statement said.

France made a similar call, with the foreign ministry saying Iran’s action “hampers a necessary de-escalation of tensions in the Gulf region”.

“We call on Iranian authorities to quickly release the ship and its crew, and to respect freedom of navigation principles in the Gulf.”

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Camera IconBritain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Credit: AFP

The Stena Impero had been heading for Saudi Arabia on Friday when it collided with a fishing vessel, according to authorities at the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, off which the tanker is now anchored.

Tom Tugendhat, who chairs parliament’s cross-party foreign affairs scrutiny panel, said military options would now be “extremely unwise”.

“If it has been taken to Bandar Abbas then that’s an important Iranian military port and I think any military options will therefore be extremely unwise,” the MP told BBC radio

The Stena Impero is no longer under the control of the crew and remains “uncontactable”, according to a statement from its owner Stena Bulk and ship manager Northern Marine Management.

Northern Marine confirmed “hostile action” had occurred before the tanker Stena Impero changed its course.

“There have been no reported injuries and the safety and welfare of our crew remains our primary focus,” it read.

Its crew include people of Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino nationality.

The company also said it was in full compliance with all navigation and international regulations.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned his country would retaliate against Britain for the seizure of an Iranian tanker.
Camera IconIran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned his country would retaliate against Britain for the seizure of an Iranian tanker. Credit: AFP

Stena Bulk and Northern Marine Management also said its vessel “Stena Impero was attacked by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter while transiting the Strait of Hormuz while the vessel was in international waters”.

The UK’s Foreign Office has warned vessels working in the country’s shipping industry to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.

“We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s unacceptable actions which represent a clear challenge to international freedom of navigation. We have advised UK shipping to stay out of the area for an interim period,” it stated.

“As the Foreign Secretary has said, our response will be considered and robust and there will be serious consequences if the situation is not resolved.

“We remain in close contact with our international partners and there will be further meetings over the weekend.”

Iran's Revolutionary Guards released a video claiming it belies the claim that the USS Boxer had downed an Iranian drone. The footage seems to be shot from a high altitude and shows a convoy of ships passing through, and according to the IRGC shows "tracking (of) the helicopter-carrier (Boxer) LHD-4 in the Strait of Hormuz".
Camera IconIran's Revolutionary Guards released a video claiming it belies the claim that the USS Boxer had downed an Iranian drone. The footage seems to be shot from a high altitude and shows a convoy of ships passing through, and according to the IRGC shows "tracking (of) the helicopter-carrier (Boxer) LHD-4 in the Strait of Hormuz". Credit: AFP

A second oil tanker, the British-operated, Liberian-flagged MV Mesdar, turned sharply north towards Iran’s coast on Friday afternoon after passing westward through the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf, according to Refinitiv tracking data.

Iranian media reports it was held temporarily for reasons related to environmental regulations.

“All crew are safe and well,” Mesdar’s manager, Norbulk Shipping UK, said in a statement confirming that the ship had been released.

“Communication has been re-established with the vessel and Master confirmed that the armed guards have left and the vessel is free to continue the voyage,” it said.

Today spokesman of Iran’s Guardian Council, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, was quoted in the semi-official Fars news agency saying “the rule of reciprocal action is well-known in international law” and that Iran’s moves to “confront the illegitimate economic war and seizure of oil tankers is an instance of this rule and is based on international rights.”

The council rarely comments on state matters, but when it does it is seen as a reflection of the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s views. That’s because the council works closely with Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters.

Just a few days ago Khamenei threatened Britain with retaliation over what he described as the “vicious” seizure of an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar by UK forces.

He accused Britain of “piracy” after the Royal Marines seized a supertanker believed to be carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria on July 5.

He has called for the immediate release of the oil tanker Grace 1, which was detained on suspicion it was breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.

In a TV speech, the Ayatollah said: “Evil Britain commits piracy and steals our ship and gives it a legal appearance.

“Iran and those who believe in our system will not leave such vicious deeds unanswered.”

That prompted US President Donald Trump to say it proved his warnings about Iran.

“This only goes to show what I’m saying about Iran. Trouble. Nothing but trouble,” he said. “It goes to show you I was right about Iran.”

He also noted the “US has very few tankers going in because we’re using a lot of our own energy,” but said US presence in the region was robust.

Meanwhile, Iran has mocked Trump’s claims that Washington brought down an Iranian drone, saying all its craft are accounted for and jesting that American forces may have destroyed their own machine by mistake.

“I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araghchi tweeted.

US President Donald Trump says America brought down an Iranian drone.
Camera IconUS President Donald Trump says America brought down an Iranian drone. Credit: AP

This followed Mr Trump’s insistence that the US had taken down an Iranian drone.

“No doubt about it, no — we shot it down,” Mr Trump said in the Oval Office. His National Security Adviser John Bolton added: “There is no question that this was an Iranian drone.”

The latest incident in the strategic Strait of Hormuz comes amid soaring tensions between the two foes, with Washington already reeling from Iran shooting down one of its drones last month.

Mr Trump said a US naval vessel downed an Iranian drone that threatened the ship as it was entering the Strait — a claim vehemently denied by Tehran.

Iran’s armed forces dismissed his assertion as “baseless and delusional” but admitted one of their drones was flying near the US ship.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araghchi … “I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!”
Camera IconIranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araghchi … “I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!” Credit: AFP

“All of (Iran’s) drones … have safely returned to their bases,” said armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi.

“There have been no reports of a confrontation with the American USS Boxer” naval vessel, he said, quoted by Tasnim news agency.

USS Boxer shot down an Iranian drone, according to US President Donald Trump.
Camera IconUSS Boxer shot down an Iranian drone, according to US President Donald Trump. Credit: AFP

The Pentagon said the ship “was in international waters” when a drone approached. Mr Trump said the USS Boxer “took defensive action” against an Iranian aircraft as it was “threatening the safety” of the vessel and its crew.

But Iran’s deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi quipped that the United States may have actually downed one of its own aircraft.

“I am worried that USS Boxer has shot down their own (drones) by mistake!” Mr Araghchi tweeted.

In June, Iran shot down an American surveillance drone it said was flying in its airspace, a claim denied by Washington.

Mr Trump called off retaliatory strikes at the last minute following the incident. Iran has refuted US accusations that it was behind a series of recent tanker attacks off the United Arab Emirates coast and the Gulf of Oman.

The tanker troubles further intensified on July 4, when Gibraltar detained an Iranian vessel with the help of British Royal Marines.

An Iranian drone.
Camera IconAn Iranian drone. Credit: AFP

Gibraltar’s Supreme Court ruled that the Grace 1 supertanker can be detained for 30 more days.

US officials believed the vessel was destined for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of European Union and US sanctions.

Iran branded the seizure “piracy”, and London later said Iranian boats menaced a British tanker in the Gulf before they were driven off by a Royal Navy frigate.

The incidents have raised fears of a regional conflict involving the US and its allies in the Gulf region, through which nearly a third of the world’s oil is transported.

Mr Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton … ‘No doubt’ the US shot down an Iranian drone.
Camera IconMr Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton … ‘No doubt’ the US shot down an Iranian drone. Credit: AP

The top commander of Iran’s Guards said they were not seeking to “initiate a war” but would respond to hostilities.

“If enemies make a mistake in calculation, our defensive strategy and all our capacities will change to offensive,” said General Hossein Salami.

His comments came after the Guards said they had seized a “foreign tanker” believed to be the Panamanian-flagged vessel Rich and its crew.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accuse the ship of smuggling Iranian fuel.

Head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Hossein Salami (left) and Iranian vice president Eshagh Jahangiri.
Camera IconHead of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Hossein Salami (left) and Iranian vice president Eshagh Jahangiri. Credit: AFP

US Central Command chief Kenneth McKenzie pledged to work “aggressively” with partners to ensure freedom of navigation in Gulf waters.

But the Guards’ deputy chief said the US will soon realise “it is not in its interest at all to stay in the region”.

US forces are under mounting “psychological pressure” in the Gulf, Brigadier-General Ali Fadavi said.

The drone incident comes amid a threatened breakdown of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, with Washington steadily ratcheting up economically debilitating sanctions on Tehran a year after unilaterally quitting the deal.

Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.
Camera IconIran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh. Credit: AFP

Earlier this month, Tehran purposely surpassed the deal’s caps on uranium enrichment, aiming to pressure the remaining parties to make good on their promises to support Iran economically.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran’s oil exports are blocked through sanctions.

Last month Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said Iran was keeping up sales through “unconventional” means to circumvent the US measures.

Meanwhile, China said it had lodged an official protest with Washington over US sanctions against Chinese companies accused of being part of a supply network for Iran’s nuclear program.