By order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias, the Secretary General of the Ministry Themistoklis Demiris recently held intense protest to the Iranian ambassador in Athens regarding violent occupation of two tankers under the Greek flag in the Persian Gulf.
According to the AP, these are Iranian retaliations, for the case of under Iranian flag of the ship Pegas, with 19 Russian crew. The United States has seized Iranian oil cargo aboard the ship.
“The above acts are essentially equivalent to acts of piracy “ Athens resides in Tehran. The Foreign Ministry called for the immediate release of the ships and their crews, including a total of nine Greeks. The tankers were driven off the Iranian coast.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned these acts, emphasizing that they violate fundamental rules of International Law and International Navigation, and called for the immediate release of the ships and their crews.
As reported, he also stressed that these acts will have particular negative effects on bilateral relations, as well as in EU-Iran relations.
According to the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier today the Iranian helicopter navy joined the Greek-flagged ship Delta Poseidon which was sailing in international waters (22 nautical miles off the coast of Iran) in the Gulf. Armed men then captured the ship’s crew, including two Greek citizens.
A similar incident was reported to have occurred on another Greek-flagged ship, aboard seven Greek citizens, and which was located off the Iranian coast, it is known.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already informed the European External Action Service, the International Maritime Organization, as well as allies and partners of Greece.
In the light of the above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends to Greek citizens to avoid traveling to Iran.
At the same time, Greek-flagged ships are required to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, with which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close coordination and constant communication.
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