Athens — Greece “piracy” Iran after Iran’s troops seized two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf in clear retaliation for Greece’s seizure of Iran’s tankers and the confiscation of crude oil into the United States. I blamed it.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs complained to the Iranian ambassador to Athens about the “violent takeover of two Greek-flagged vessels” in the Persian Gulf after saying that Iran had taken over the vessel. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday that the Iranian army “seized two Greek tankers for a violation in the Gulf waters,” according to a statement quoted by Iran’s national news agency IRNA.
According to a statement, the Greek ministry said, “The act is effectively piracy,” calling for the immediate release of the vessel and its crew. The ministry warned that seizures would have “particularly negative consequences” for bilateral relations between Greece and Iran and Iran’s relations with the European Union.
The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a strong statement on Saturday calling for the immediate release of one of the Cyprus crew members.
The clash occurred after the United States confiscated Iran’s oil on a Russian-operated vessel near Greece. According to Greek authorities, the cargo will be converted to another ship hired by an American and sent to the United States.
Two Greek tankers were confiscated on Friday. According to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an Iranian helicopter landed on Delta Poseidon with the Greek flag while navigating the high seas about 22 nautical miles off Iran. “Then, armed men captured the crew of the ship, including two Greek citizens,” the ministry said.
“A similar incident was reported on another Greek-flagged vessel carrying seven Greek citizens off the coast of Iran,” the ministry added. The second ship is the Prudent Warrior, which is managed by the Greek company Polembros Shipping.
Nour News, a website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned on Friday that Tehran plans to take “punitive action” against Greece, which supports the United States.
Tensions are rising between Tehran and the West. Long-term negotiations under US President Joe Biden to restore Iran’s nuclear deal stagnated in Vienna last month, raising the issue of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) status. Biden finalized his decision to leave the IRGC on the terrorist blacklist, further complicating international efforts to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement.
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