Iran's Revolutionary Guards (the ideological arm of the Islamic Republic) announced Friday that they had seized two Greek oil tanks in Gulf waters. This was just after protesting against Greece's seizing a vessel carrying Iranian oil. The Greek Foreign Ministry denounced the acts as "similar to piracy".
The Revolutionary Guards posted a statement on their website stating that their naval forces had "seized two Greek oil tanksers in the Persian Gulf today because of violations they committed".
The Greek Foreign Ministry stated that these acts constitute piracy and urged citizens not to travel to Iran. Athens stated that Iranian navy helicopters had earlier flown gunmen aboard the tankers.
The ministry stated that one of them, the Delta Poseidon was sailing in international waters at the time. According to the same source, the second was located near the Iranian coast. According to the ministry, nine Greeks were part of the crews of both ships. However, they declined to provide details about the number of sailors aboard. The ministry said that Athens had informed the EU, as well as the International Maritime Organization, about the incident.
Friday's Iran call for the "immediate lifting" of the seizure by Greece of a ship carrying Iranian crude oil, which was held since mid-April at the request the United States.
The European sanctions relating to the war in Ukraine led to the Greek authorities seizing the Russian oil tanker Pegas. Lana was renamed Lana just a few days later. According to reports, the tanker carried 115,000 tonnes of Iranian oil. A spokeswoman from the Greek port police stated Wednesday that the oil would be "transferred" to the United States (...) upon a request by American justice.
Friday's summons by Iran's foreign ministry to the Swiss charge-d'affaires was made. This Swiss charge represents the interests of the United States due to the deterioration in diplomatic relations between Washington, Tehran and Washington after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
According to a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published on its website, Tehran has accused Washington of "clear violations of maritime law and international Conventions". Tehran also calls for the lifting of the seizure of the vessel and its cargo.
