Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced on Friday that it had seized two Greek oil tankers in Persian Gulf waters. The action came days after Athens captured in the Mediterranean Sea, at the request of the United States, a Russian tanker carrying Iranian crude.
In a statement, Iranian forces said Friday’s arrests were made for “violations” committed by the ships, without specifying which ones.
Tehran also reinforced calls for the “immediate” release of the Russian ship seized due to sanctions imposed on Moscow related to the Ukrainian War. The vessel was carrying 115,000 tonnes of Iranian oil. Earlier, the government of Iran had accused the US of committing “clear violations of maritime law and international conventions”.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in turn, compared the action to piracy and classified it as “violent”.
A spokesman for the Greek port police told the AFP news agency that Iranian oil would be “transferred to the United States […] following a demand from the American Justice”.
On Friday, Athens reported that Iranian navy helicopters had transported armed men aboard the two oil tankers. One of them, Delta Poseidon, would be sailing in international waters. The second, which has not been identified, was seized off the Iranian coast.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that nine Greeks were on board the two ships. Athens informed the European Union and the International Maritime Organization of the seizures shortly after the incident, the ministry added.
The incident comes amid diplomatic tensions between Iran and the West. Western powers last year resumed negotiations over an agreement establishing control mechanisms in Tehran’s nuclear program, with the country seeking to lift international sanctions.
