Iran Urges Greece to Cooperate Over Seized Ships Without U.S. Role
TEHRAN - Iran urged Greece on Tuesday to cooperate to resolve a crisis over the seizure of ships without involving the United States, after Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Persian Gulf following the seizure of an Iranian vessel off Greece.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday seized two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf over violations, days after an Iranian oil tanker was captured by Greece in Iran’s territorial waters followed by the transfer of the oil to the U.S.
He said that the violation of the law and the seizure of ships is not a new thing and that it is “better safe than sorry.”
U.S. and Greek diplomats have called on Iran to immediately release the Greek tankers, their cargoes and their crews. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington backed its NATO ally Greece.
“Mr Blinken has to realize that the era when the U.S. single handedly imposed its rules on the world has come to an end,” Khatibzadeh said, calling Washington “the biggest disrupter of free trade in the world”.
“Unfortunately, the Greek government demonstrated that taking orders from a third party is more important to them ... But we believe relations between Iran and Greece should remain well-intentioned,” he told reporters in Tehran.
“I suggest the Greek government take the legal and judicial route in this respect without any fanfare,” he said, adding that the crew members of the seized Greek ships were in good health and were in telephone contact with their families.
Once Iran’s oil tanker was seized illegally, “we tried to activate diplomacy,” he said, adding that Iran’s foreign minister contacted his Greek counterpart but the Greek government showed that orders made by a third party were more important to them.
“The U.S. and other third parties never wish well for relations between Iran and Greek,” he said.
IRGC Releases Video of
Seizure of Greek Tankers
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has released footage from a recent operation to capture two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.
The first footages have been released from the IRGC’s naval operation on Friday to capture the two Greek ships that had committed violations in the Persian Gulf.
The two oil tankers, Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon, were seized near Iran’s southern port city of Asaluyeh and near Hendorabi island.
According to the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran, all crew members of both Greek ships are in full health and being protected while on board in accordance with international law, and they are provided with necessary services.
The two tankers have been seized due to maritime violations.