Tehran says to release detained UK-flagged tanker

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the UK-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which was detained by Iran for violating international maritime rules, will soon be released.

Iran seizes Philippine ship for fuel smuggling 

TEHRAN – Iranian forces have seized a Philippine tanker in the Persian Gulf and taken its crew into custody on charges of smuggling fuel.

Iranian ship unloads oil at Syrian port: report 

TEHRAN – Sources have said that Iranian tanker Adrian Darya 1 has unloaded its oil at a port in Syria, Tasnim quoted the Middle East Eye as reporting on Saturday.

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.

U.S. blacklists Iran oil tanker in Mediterranean

TEHRAN - The United States on Friday blacklisted the Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya following repeated warnings over its valuable oil cargo.

Resistance is the only way to confront bullying, says Kharrazi

TEHRAN – Kamal Kharrazi, chief of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, has said the only way to stand up to the enemies’ bullying is resistance.

Renaming supertanker not aimed to bypass U.S. sanctions: envoy

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad has said the renaming of the Iranian oil tanker, Grace 1, has no relations with circumventing the U.S. sanctions.

By staff and agency

U.S. issues warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker Grace 1

The United States has issued a warrant for the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker captured by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar last month, according to Aljazeera.

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 Mohammad Ghaderi

The message behind the release of Iranian oil tanker 

TEHRAN - The Gibraltar court ordered the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 to be released. The tanker was seized by the British Royal Marines about a month ago. 

Gibraltar releases Iranian oil tanker Grace 1

Gibraltar government has released the Iranian supertanker Grace 1, despite the US' attempt to block the release of the vessel.

By Mahmood Khaghani

Boris and the English Job

A new book, "The English Job", by former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw documented Iran's long (and merited) history of distrust of the British motives and actions. I note that the new British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, comes from the heart of the British or (as better known in Iran) English ’Establishment’ which was largely responsible for the decisions and actions which generated this mistrust.

IRGC seizes foreign tanker smuggling fuel

TEHRAN – Forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have seized a foreign oil tanker in the Persian Gulf that was smuggling fuel to Arab countries.

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.

Tehran welcomes rapprochement with Riyadh

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Monday described as a “positive signal” a call by Riyadh for talks with Tehran, calling on all Muslim countries to set aside their differences to move forward. 

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 Hossein Askari

Follow the leader — the UK’s Ill-advised piracy on the high seas

WASHINGTON - The United Kingdom should recognize what has become its position in the world — an important nation with an imperialistic history but now a much diminished global power. Blindly following the United States into hazardous waters could have dangerous results: America might not reward subservience or could change course in its own self-interest. While following George Bush into Iraq is now widely conceded in the UK as having been ill advised, British leaders seem to have forgotten the consequences of that disastrous decision.

‘The Bolton gambit succeeded and Britain stumbled into an American trap’

Britain blindly dances to Bolton’s war drums against Iran: Guardian

TEHRAN - In a commentary published on its website on Saturday, the Guardian said John Bolton, a notorious Iran hawk, has succeeded to lure Britain into a dangerous trap to punish Iran by deceiving London to capture a tanker carrying the Iranian oil in Gibraltar, which Iran responded in kind.

IRGC responds to British piracy: Larijani

TEHRAN - Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) responded to piracy by Britain by seizing a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday night.

Zarif: Iran’s move is fully within international maritime rules 

Iran stops UK tanker after it hits boat and ignores distress call

TEHRAN – Iranian forces late on Friday impounded a British-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz for involvement in an accident with an Iranian fishing boat, after the tanker ignored distress calls.

By staff and agency

Britain to send third warship to Persian Gulf

The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will send a third warship to the Persian Gulf.

Deputy Majlis speaker: Tanker seizure not to affect Iran’s JCPOA decisions

TEHRAN – Deputy Majlis speaker Abdolreza Mesri has said Britain’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar will not dissuade Tehran from reducing its nuclear undertakings in response to the West’s disloyalty.

Ayatollah Khamenei says Iran will surely continue to reduce JCPOA commitments

Leader: British act of ‘piracy’ won’t go unanswered

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday condemned the British government’s illegal seizure of an Iranian supertanker in Gibraltar, saying the act of “piracy” will not go “unanswered”.

‘Iranians expect retaliation against British seizure of oil tanker’

TEHRAN – The Islamic Coalition Party Secretary General, Asadollah Badamchian, has said the Iranian people expect the government to take retaliatory measures in the aftermath of the British seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

Government: Britain isolated after oil tanker confiscation

TEHRAN – Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Sunday that the British government has become isolated with its act of seizing an Iranian oil tanker.

UK failure to release tanker won’t be left unanswered: Iranian diplomat

TEHRAN - Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad has said that a failure by the British government to release Iran’s oil tanker and its cargo will not be “left unanswered”.

Iran warns Britain not to get involved in ‘dangerous game’, urges it to immediately release tanker

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi has renewed its calls on Britain to immediately release its oil tanker.

Zarif: ‘Negotiation under pressure is impossible’

TEHRAN – On repeated U.S. calls for negotiations with Iran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that Iran will not negotiate under pressure, suggesting that the United States must first stop “economic terrorism” against Iran if it seeks negotiations.

Rouhani says U.S. call for UN nuclear watchdog meeting is ‘farcical’

TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the U.S. call for an emergency meeting of the UN atomic watchdog on Iran’s nuclear actions is a “farcical story”.

Military chief: British seizure of Iranian oil tanker ‘won’t go unanswered’ 

Tehran – Major General Mohammad Baqeri, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, threatened on Tuesday that the British seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar “will not go unanswered”.