Zarif asks Pompeo: “What exactly is extortion”!? 

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday asked U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that “what exactly is extortion?”

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”. 

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”.

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.

Seizure of Iranian tanker is violation of nuclear deal: Araghchi

TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that seizure of a supertanker carrying the Iranian oil is a violation of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.

Foreign forces are main cause of regional tension, Rouhani says in meeting with Oman FM

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that presence of foreign forces in the region are the main cause of tension in the region.

UK daily warns Iranian military strength may overpower British forces amid tensions

(Press TV) - The UK’s Daily Express paper has published a report, featuring a “shock chart”, illustrating that Iranian military strength may overpower that of Britain in various key aspects.

Iran should sell its oil: British ambassador

TEHRAN - British Ambassador to Tehran Robert Macaire has said that Iran should sell its oil and Britain supports legitimate trade of Iran’s oil.

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.

Tehran’s tanker seizure arguments more convincing than London’s: Moscow

TEHRAN – The Kremlin says Iran’s arguments for its recent seizure of a UK-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz were more convincing than those of London.

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.

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.

Zarif to Hunt: ‘Iran will keep exporting oil under any circumstances’

TEHRAN - In a telephone conversation with his British counterpart Jeremy Hunt on Saturday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted that the oil sanctions against Iran by the U.S. are illegal and that “the Islamic Republic of Iran will keep exporting oil under any circumstances.”

Explosions hit two large oil tankers in Sea of Oman: Reports

TEHRAN- Media reports say two large oil tankers have been hit by explosions in the Sea of Oman.

Iranian tanker with oil for Belarus arrives in port of Odessa

An Iranian tanker with oil for Belarus arrived in the port of Odessa, said the Deputy Director General of CJSC “Belarusian oil company” Sergey Mushroom.

Iran dispatches first post-sanctions oil cargo to Indonesia

TEHRAN – For the first time after the lifting of the west-imposed sanctions, an Iranian oil tanker left the country to deliver its cargo to Indonesian Cilacap Refinery, Shana reported on Wednesday.

Iranian floating storage tankers exit Persian Gulf

During the week ending November 11, three vessels, used for floating storage in Iran, left the Persian Gulf for destinations in India and South Korea, according to Genscape. Floating storage is often used to leverage a rising oil price.