Iran Encourages Exemption from Exchange of Tanker Ships
The release of an Iranian tanker seized could help secure the freedom of a British-flagged tanker which was detained by Tehran. This was expressed by the Iranian Ambassador to Britain.
On July 4, the British Marines were involved in the seizure of the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 from Gibraltar. The ship was suspected of carrying oil to Syria which was considered to violate EU sanctions. Iran calls it an "act of piracy".
A few days later, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps captured an Inggri-flagged tanker, Stena Impero, on the Strait of Hormuz. The ship and 23 crew remain in Iranian detention.
"Of course one problem can help solve another problem but these are two separate issues that need to be addressed separately," Iranian Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad told Sky News.
"We really want to see England take all the steps needed to release Grace 1 as soon as possible," he added, as quoted by the UK-based media on Wednesday (07/31/2019).
Earlier this week, Baeidinejad did not want to compromise. In his tweet, he said it was impossible to make an exchange because Britain had illegally detained Iranian ships. While the British ship has been arrested for violating several key safety/security regulations.
He also insisted on Iran's initial explanation for capturing the tanker Stena Impero.
"The ship collided with a fishing boat in the area ... the fishing boat was damaged and there were people who were injured," he said.
He also said Stena Impero had entered the Strait of Hormuz from outside the line, which violated the law.
"We have tensions in the region because US policy - the ship should be very careful not to violate any law," he said.
On that occasion, Baeidinejad denied Grace 1 was heading for Syria but repeatedly refused to identify the ship's destination.
"It is very clear, we have announced that we will not go to sanctions entities ... we have no right to say what the purpose of the ship is," he said.
Baeidinejad's statement came amid increasing tensions between Britain and Iran. In addition to two tankers seized, the British Navy frigate HMS Montrose, which was patrolling the area, blocked Iranian patrol vessels trying to block a British tanker sailing through the Strait of Hormuz this month.
The waterway is the only route to the wider ocean for more than one-sixth of the world's oil and one-third of its liquefied natural gas.
The Royal Navy has been assigned to escort all British-flagged ships through the area.
Iran and Britain are also still at loggerheads over the continuing imprisonment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. An English-Iranian woman was jailed for five years in Tehran after being accused of spying in 2016, a charge she denied.
Asked if he insisted that he had been spied on even though he was in the country with his baby, Baeidinejad said: "Espionage is a very flexible language, it can involve many activities."
"When you are involved in illegal activities, it doesn't matter whether you have a baby or not. You must be accountable to the law," he continued.
"The question is whether we want to help him be released before or not? If that means there are some rules that must be followed. We have a procedure for forgiveness and that must be followed," he said. { Source }
On July 4, the British Marines were involved in the seizure of the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 from Gibraltar. The ship was suspected of carrying oil to Syria which was considered to violate EU sanctions. Iran calls it an "act of piracy".
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| Photo from: sindonews |
A few days later, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps captured an Inggri-flagged tanker, Stena Impero, on the Strait of Hormuz. The ship and 23 crew remain in Iranian detention.
"Of course one problem can help solve another problem but these are two separate issues that need to be addressed separately," Iranian Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad told Sky News.
"We really want to see England take all the steps needed to release Grace 1 as soon as possible," he added, as quoted by the UK-based media on Wednesday (07/31/2019).
Earlier this week, Baeidinejad did not want to compromise. In his tweet, he said it was impossible to make an exchange because Britain had illegally detained Iranian ships. While the British ship has been arrested for violating several key safety/security regulations.
He also insisted on Iran's initial explanation for capturing the tanker Stena Impero.
"The ship collided with a fishing boat in the area ... the fishing boat was damaged and there were people who were injured," he said.
He also said Stena Impero had entered the Strait of Hormuz from outside the line, which violated the law.
"We have tensions in the region because US policy - the ship should be very careful not to violate any law," he said.
On that occasion, Baeidinejad denied Grace 1 was heading for Syria but repeatedly refused to identify the ship's destination.
"It is very clear, we have announced that we will not go to sanctions entities ... we have no right to say what the purpose of the ship is," he said.
Baeidinejad's statement came amid increasing tensions between Britain and Iran. In addition to two tankers seized, the British Navy frigate HMS Montrose, which was patrolling the area, blocked Iranian patrol vessels trying to block a British tanker sailing through the Strait of Hormuz this month.
The waterway is the only route to the wider ocean for more than one-sixth of the world's oil and one-third of its liquefied natural gas.
The Royal Navy has been assigned to escort all British-flagged ships through the area.
Iran and Britain are also still at loggerheads over the continuing imprisonment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. An English-Iranian woman was jailed for five years in Tehran after being accused of spying in 2016, a charge she denied.
Asked if he insisted that he had been spied on even though he was in the country with his baby, Baeidinejad said: "Espionage is a very flexible language, it can involve many activities."
"When you are involved in illegal activities, it doesn't matter whether you have a baby or not. You must be accountable to the law," he continued.
"The question is whether we want to help him be released before or not? If that means there are some rules that must be followed. We have a procedure for forgiveness and that must be followed," he said. { Source }
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