Rouhani says Britain to face 'consequences' for seizing Iranian tanker

 

FILE PHOTO: The oil supertanker Grace 1, that's on suspicion of carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria, sits anchored in waters of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, July 4, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Britain would face “consequences” over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

 

Iran has demanded the immediate release of the Grace 1, which British Royal Marines boarded off Gibraltar last week and seized on suspicion that it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria.

 

“You (Britain) are the initiator of insecurity and you will realize the consequences later,” Rouhani said after a cabinet meeting, in remarks carried by state television.

 

“Now you are so hopeless that, when one of your tankers wants to move in the region, you have to bring your frigates (to escort it) because you are scared. Then why do you commit such acts (seizure)? You should instead allow navigation to be safe,” Rouhani said.

 

Rouhani also said Iran’s decision to increase uranium enrichment would produce fuel for power plants and serve other peaceful aims, and that it was within the framework of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

 

He was speaking a day after European powers accused Iran of “pursuing activities inconsistent with its commitments” under the nuclear deal and called for an urgent meeting of the parties to the agreement.

 

“You (Europeans) do not need to worry about Iran, your concern must be over the United States, which has violated this whole commitment and undermined international obligations,” Rouhani said.

 

Britain, Germany, France, Russia, China and Iran are the remaining parties to the deal, which the United States abandoned last year.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-10

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Dangerous game! And a nut at the Offal Office

Heard they made an attempt on a British tanker today a very dangerous game indeed we could destroy their navy in one night easily 

"The UK's Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose had been escorting the tanker from the rear. It trained its deck guns on the Iranians and gave them a verbal warning to back away, which they did. Montrose is equipped on the deck with 30 mm guns specifically designed to drive off small boats."

 https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/10/politics/iran-attempted-seize-british-tanker/index.html

Trump's sanctions (and thus follows other Western nations such as the UK) to ban oil shipments to Syria in total (regardless of vessel flag) has the effect of weakening the Assad regime and its military.

• https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2018/10/23/syrias-illicit-imports-of-iranian-oil-spike-in-october/

Which seems just the opposite of Trump's direct diplomatic relationship with the Assad regime, withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria*, and abandonment of support for the insurgent Free Syrian Army that was fighting the Assad regime.

 

It seems that for every foreign policy Trump has with a nation, he has a counter policy. At least UK is consistent with its own foreign policies.

 

* Almost four months after Trump warned Syria, Russia and Iran against attacks on the rebel army.

4 hours ago, Brickbat said:

Dangerous game! And a nut at the Offal Office

Such a juvenile attempt at humour.

8 minutes ago, Benmart said:

Such a juvenile attempt at humour.

Quite agree. No laughing matter. If iran bans exports of pistachio nuts to the UK, it could be war.

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Heard they made an attempt on a British tanker today a very dangerous game indeed we could destroy their navy in one night easily 

Probably true... but that alone might be foolish. I don't think that Iran’s “navy” is a real threat, and it’s certainly very easy to contain, where as destroying it will be an act of war, and using boats to create mischief, might be replaced by using missiles. (Mischief because the Iranians would have known there was a frigate there.. they were messing about)

 

if the nuclear deal was meant to increase irans lead time for a nuke, from 2-3 months to 9-12 months, then the western warriors had best get their massive and overwhelming build up started, prior to an act of war, as desert storm took months of prep, and that was a walk in the park compared to what the conquest of Iran will require.

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Heard they made an attempt on a British tanker today a very dangerous game indeed we could destroy their navy in one night easily 

Actually Iran does have a sizable navy and probably no "Dads Army" but seems it was just 5 boats of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard that were lucky not to have been turned into matchsticks.

Quote

According to reports in US media, quoting US officials, boats believed to belong to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps approached the British Heritage tanker as it was moving out of the Gulf into the Strait of Hormuz.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48946051

 

Let's hope the present UK government has learned the lesson of the Iraq war and that Boris, assuming he becomes PM, won't end up a Blair-style lapdog barking at POTUS' command.

 

Post Brexit, the prospect of a trade deal with the US may seem attractive - but not if the price is participation in another disastrous war and, almost certainly, a new refugee crisis.

 

We didn't vote to jump out of the frying pan of EU domination only to end up in a fire stoked by the US quest for global hegemony.

1 hour ago, Krataiboy said:

Let's hope the present UK government has learned the lesson of the Iraq war and that Boris, assuming he becomes PM, won't end up a Blair-style lapdog barking at POTUS' command.

 

Post Brexit, the prospect of a trade deal with the US may seem attractive - but not if the price is participation in another disastrous war and, almost certainly, a new refugee crisis.

 

We didn't vote to jump out of the frying pan of EU domination only to end up in a fire stoked by the US quest for global hegemony.

No secret that poodle Boris is already getting a brown nose...

 

Yes they tried this Morning, 5  Iranian boats told to leave or meet their maker, and they left with there tails between there legs.

Quite right too! Mustafa has been instructed by Tehran to sell no more doner kebabs to pissed squaddies and marines after the pubs close. ????

33 minutes ago, Small Joke said:

Quite right too! Mustafa has been instructed by Tehran to sell no more doner kebabs to pissed squaddies and marines after the pubs close. ????

 and quite right you never know whats in them Donners, Humans Animals and other things go in them.

10 hours ago, Brickbat said:

Dangerous game! And a nut at the Offal Office

 

The trouble is he ain't the only nut in office, or close to office!