Greek-flagged tankers were attacked by Iranian soldiers in the Persian Gulf on Friday, with the foreign ministry taking immediate action against the Iranian ambassador in Athens.
“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 agency Associated Press had reported that the gunmen are Iranian soldiersand have proceeded to occupy the tankers.
Demonstration of Athens to the Iranian ambassador
“By order of Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, the Secretary General of the Ministry, Themistoklis Demiris, recently staged a strong protest against the Iranian Ambassador in Athens, regarding the violent occupation of two Greek-flagged ships in the Gulf.
The above acts are essentially equivalent to acts of piracy.
The Secretary-General strongly condemned these acts, which are contrary to fundamental rules of international law and international navigation.
He called for the immediate release of the ships and their crews.
He also stressed that these actions will have a particularly negative impact on bilateral relations, as well as on EU-Iran relations.
Earlier today, a helicopter of the Iranian navy crashed into 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 nationals, off the Iranian coast.
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 that Greek citizens avoid traveling to Iran.
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 “.
The history
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 US Navy’s 5th Fleet, based in the Middle East, announced earlier Friday that it was “examining” reports. that Iran seized two Greek oil tankers after Tehran threatened to take “punitive measures” against Athens for seizing one of its tankers (Pegas), reports AP.
Timothy Hawkins of the 5th Fleet told the agency that the Navy is continuing the search. He did not give further details. US authorities have seized Iranian oil transported by the tanker.
In April, Greek authorities seized a Pegasus in the port of Karystos, carrying 19 Russians as crew members, but later released it due to “confusion” over whether the sanctions cover its owners, Reuters reported.
According to Greek sources, the ship’s crew presented official documents from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), based on which it appears that the ownership of the ship had been transferred before the war to a company that is not subject to sanctions.
The tanker sailed under the Russian flag until March 1, when it was renamed Lana and raised the Iranian flag.
The US Department of Justice “informed Greece that the cargo is Iranian oil”, said a source in the Ministry of Shipping. “The cargo was transferred to another ship leased from the US, “he added.
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