Stena Impero released after two months

TEHRAN – A British-flagged oil tanker that was detained by Iran more than two months ago left Iran’s Bandar Abbas port on Friday and was heading toward international waters, according to Reuters.

Release of UK-flagged oil tanker finalized: Tehran

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Wednesday that the procedure to release a detained British-flagged oil tanker has been finalized with cooperation of Iranian Foreign Ministry, Judiciary and Ports and Maritime Organization.

IRGC chief slams European trio’s allegations against Iran as fictitious

TEHRAN – Major General Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), has slammed three European countries over blaming Iran for the recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities without any evidence whatsoever.

Jeremy Hunt: Britain would repay Iran £400m

TEHRAN – Former British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said his country would obey a court order to repay £400m to Iran, if the precise sum owed is agreed.

Iran’s govt. says European trio statement is ‘unacceptable’

TEHRAN - Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Wednesday that Britain, France and Germany’s statement which blames Iran for the Aramco attacks is “unacceptable”.

Iran calls European trio accusations ‘provocative’ and ‘very destructive’

TEHRAN – Accusations by Britain, France and Germany - known as E3- that Iran was involved in the attacks on the Saudi Aramco oil facilities are “provocative” and “very destructive”, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday.

‘Britain should stop selling arms to Saudis instead of accusing Iran’

TEHRAN – Tehran says London should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia instead of accusing the Islamic Republic of being responsible for attacks on the Saudi oil facilities.

Iranian professors voice concerns over destruction of democracy in Britain

TEHRAN – 500 Iranian university professors have criticized the suspension of the British Parliament and the destruction of democracy in the country.

Britain rejects to take tough stance on Iran as Netanyahu meets Johnson

TEHRAN – Downing Street on Thursday appeared to reject Israeli calls for Britain to take a harder line against Iran, despite Tehran warning it will continue to reduce its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal this weekend.   

Iran frees 7 crew members of seized British tanker

TEHRAN – Iran has released seven crew members of British oil tanker Stena Impero detained in July in the Persian Gulf for violating international maritime law.

Britain knows Iran’s situation is different from the past: Larijani

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Saturday that the British are well aware that Iran’s situation is different from the past.

By M.A. Saki

Release of Grace 1 marks a suicide for Bolton 

When Britain impounded the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 on July 4, John Bolton, Donald Trump’s ultra-hawkish national security adviser, tweeted: “Excellent news”. 

Tehran says Britain might free Iran’s oil tanker soon

TEHRAN – Jalil Eslami, an official at Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, announced on Tuesday that Britain might free Iranian-operated oil tanker Grace 1 soon.

By Batool Subeiti 

Britain's shadow over India's crimes in Kashmir

LONDON - While there is no doubt that the Indian armed forces and the fascist Hindu nationalist ruling party in India need to be held to account for the reign of terror they have unleashed on the people of Kashmir throughout these decades, the latest attempt to annex the disputed territory to the union of India is particularly alarming and a matter of grave concern. 

By Morteza Khansari

Germany hampering Brexit and Johnson’s administration 

TEHRAN - These days, Germany is receiving many requests from the United States and Britain to join an international coalition to control the Strait of Hormuz and take part in joint navy projects in the Persian Gulf. 

By staff and agency

Iranian diplomat: Captured British tanker unlawfully entered Hormuz Strait from exit lane

In an interview with Sky news on Tuesday, Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad said a British-flagged oil tanker which was seized by Iran “should have been very careful not to violate any laws”.

Impossible to exchange seized tankers, says Iranian ambassador to Britain

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad has said it is impossible to exchange the Iranian-seized British ship with a British-seized supertanker which was carrying Iranian oil.

Easing tension in Persian Gulf is priority of British embassy: ambassador

TEHRAN - British Ambassador to Tehran Robert Macaire has said that easing tension in the Persian Gulf region is a priority of the British embassy.

British ambassador says had good meeting with top MP Zonnour

TEHRAN – British Ambassador to Tehran Rob Macaire says he had a good meeting with senior MP Mojtaba Zonnour.

British piracy of tanker reminiscent of its colonial atrocities: cleric

TEHRAN – Interim Friday prayer leader Ahmad Khatami has blasted the British government’s seizure of a tanker carrying Iranian oil, saying the act of piracy was reminiscent of the “old fox’s many atrocities.”

By staff and agency

Sweden in talks with Iran, Britain to de-escalate regional tension

Sweden’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday announcing it is conducting talks with Iran and Britain over a Swedish-owned, British-flagged oil tanker seized by Iran to de-escalate regional tension, according to Reuters.

Britain resorting to ‘judicial piracy’: Kadkhodaei

TEHRAN – Abbasali Kadkhodaei, a legal expert who acts as spokesman for the Guardian Council, says the British government has resorted to “judicial piracy” after its recent act of maritime piracy.

‘Downing Street acts according to U.S. plots’

TEHRAN – The British act according to anti-Iran plots orchestrated by the United States, a lawmaker said on Tuesday, invoking the British government’s seizure of a supertanker carrying Iranian oil.

JCPOA parties to hold emergency meeting on July 28

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the remaining parties to the JCPOA - the official name for the 2015 nuclear deal - will hold an emergency joint commission meeting in Vienna on July 28.

Self-defense is not a joke for Iran: Kharrazi

TEHRAN - Kamal Kharrazi, chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, has said that defending “territorial integrity” and guarding the country’s “dignity” is not a joke.

Omani foreign minister to visit Iran on Saturday

TEHRAN - Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah is scheduled to visit Iran on Saturday, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

Ways for Britain to deal with the seizure of its oil tanker by Iran

An expert on international law in Tehran believes: “The seizure of the British oil tanker for failure to observe the Law of the Sea is perfectly legal and London must go to competent courts instead of political encounters.”

Iranian envoy urges Britain to contain hardline elements

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad has called on the British government to contain those who want to escalate Tehran-London tensions.

Jack Straw says Iranians have good cause to call Britain ‘cunning, colonial fox’

Jack Straw, the former British foreign secretary, has written an article saying that Iranians have “good cause” to be “resentful” against Britain and call Britons the “cunning, colonial fox”.

By Hanif Ghaffari 

Europe's return to the twentieth century!

The three countries of Britain, Germany and France are not in good shape: Berlin faces a crisis of leadership and there is no prospect of the end of the Angela Merkel Chancellery.