Iran attempted detaining British oil tanker, Iran dismisses accusation -

Dubai/London: The United Kingdom has alleged that Iran tried to realise the threat of detaining a British oil tanker. The Iranian patrol vessels had planned to take the British oil tanker, sailing through the Persian Gulf, into the Iranian marine limits. The United Kingdom informed that timely action by a British destroyer forced the Iranian military to retreat. The United States claimed to have the video of the Iranian misadventure.

Last week, the United Kingdom detained an Iranian oil tanker, in the Gulf of Gibraltar. The British Marines unit seized the oil tanker, accusing that Iran was taking oil for Syria. Iran had threatened to avenge this action. Iran had threatened to take action against the British oil tankers and cargo ships, passing through the Persian Gulf, if the United Kingdom did not release the Iranian tanker.

Against the background of this threat, the United Kingdom alerted the destroyers and marines units, already deployed in the Persian Gulf. The oil tanker ‘British Heritage’ was sailing through the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, in the night. At that time, five Iranian patrol vessels having soldiers from the Revolutionary Guards onboard, instructed the ship,British Heritage, to change course and enter Iranian waters.

It is revealed that this threatening instruction was recorded by a US aircraft. HMS Montrose, a British destroyer, sailing nearby, aimed its guns at the Iranian ships and warned them to get out of the way of the British Tanker. The British government informed that following this, the Iranian patrol vessels retreated and their plan was foiled.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have dismissed the allegation. The Revolutionary Guards claimed that if orders to detain the British or any other oil tankers were received, they would not have delayed the implementation, even by a second. Iran said that nothing reported by the British and US news channels has happened. But evidently, Iran is keen to teach a lesson to the United Kingdom, who has detained an Iranian oil tanker. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Revolutionary Guards had taken this action to seize the British oil tanker. It is also evident that a repeat, of such an action, will face a strong retaliation from the United States and allies.

Egypt detains Iranian oil tanker

Cairo: Following the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, Egypt has taken action against the Iranian oil tanker. Egypt detained the tanker sailing through the Suez Canal, accusing it of espionage. Egypt, at the same time, even announced punishments for the sailors on board the ship. Iran has denounced the Egyptian action in harsh words.

Last week, the British navy detained an Iranian oil tanker going to Syria, in the Gulf of Gibraltar. Within hours of the incident, Egypt has taken action against one more Iranian oil tanker. An oil tanker was detained during this action. Six sailors from the ship have also been arrested and prison terms of between 15 to 25 years have been handed out to them. Computers and mobile phones of these six sailors have been seized. Each of them will have to pay a fine of $30,000.

A severe reaction is expected from Iran against this Egyptian action. Before this, Iran had accused Saudi of detaining an Iranian oil tanker, in this marine region. But Saudi Arabia had dismissed the Iranian allegation.