Iran calls UK's seizure of oil tanker 'piracy'

Iranian oil tanker MT Grace 1 near Gibraltar. Photo:Reuters.

"The British marines' seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Gibraltar is a form of piracy, proving that London is following Washington's hostile policies," Iran's state news agency (IRNA) quoted a senior Foreign Ministry official as saying today.

Iran's response came after the coast guard of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, seized the 300,000-ton MT Grace 1 oil tanker early on July 4 with the support of the British Royal Marines.

Iran has confirmed ownership of the Panama-flagged ship. Iranian state media said the ship had departed from the Iranian port of Bandar Assalyeh and was carrying crude oil to the Iraqi port of Basra. However, Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said the Grace 1's oil was headed to the Banyas refinery in Syria, which is under EU sanctions.

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi, Iran also summoned the British ambassador yesterday to protest the seizure of the MT Grace 1. At the summons, Iran handed the British ambassador documents showing that the ship was transiting to an authorized point, not to Syria as Gibraltar alleged.

According to Reuters, Iran used MT Grace 1, considered a "super tanker", to transport crude oil to Singapore and China, despite Washington's unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

The EU imposed sanctions on Syria in late 2011 due to the conflict in the country, affecting the oil sector and investment activities, as well as about 227 officials. The assets of about 72 entities and the assets of the Syrian central bank in the EU were also frozen.