Iranian oil tanker’s distress call for help in Red Sea went unnoticed: PMO

TEHRAN – The Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has announced in a statement posted on its official website that none of the regional maritime bodies responded to calls for help by the Iranian oil tanker Sabiti when it came under missile attack off the Saudi coast in the Red Sea on Friday morning.

Iranian security official: Evil acts in international waterways won’t go unanswered

TEHRAN – Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), has condemned the Friday morning attack on Iran’s SABITI oil tanker in the Red Sea and voiced Tehran’s firm will to give a crushing response to the evil act in international waterways.

Government spokesman: Iran starts probe into oil tanker blast carefully, patiently

TEHRAN - Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Saturday that Tehran has started careful investigation into two explosions on its oil tanker in the Red Sea, refraining from any precipitancy.

Russia: So soon for comment on causes of explosions in Iranian oil tanker

TEHRAN – The director of the Asian Bureau of the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that necessary investigations about causes of explosions in an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea are underway, suggesting it is necessary to refrain from immediate comments.

NITC dismisses reports missiles fired at Iranian oil tanker from S. Arabia

TEHRAN – National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) has dismissed media reports that an Iranian oil tanker navigating in the Red Sea was hit by missiles fired from Saudi Arabia, IRNA reported.

U.S. navy says aware of attack on Iranian oil tanker 

The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is aware of media reports about an Iranian tanker blast but has no further information so far, a spokesman said on Friday.

Iranian oil tanker hit by two blasts in Red Sea

TEHRAN - In what Tehran calls a "dangerous adventure", two separate explosions, possibly caused by missile attacks, hit an Iranian oil tanker operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) near the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

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.

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.