Iran Seizes 2 Greek Tankers In Persian Gulf

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard raided and seized two Greek oil tankers Friday in the Persian Gulf, officials said, in retaliation for Athens’ help in the US seizure of crude oil from an Iranian-flagged tanker this week in the Mediterranean Sea said to be violating Washington’s crushing sanctions on Iran, Jon Gambrell and Nicholas Paphitis reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: A Greek oil tanker

The raid marks the first major incident at sea in months as tensions remain high between Iran and the West over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. As Tehran enriches more uranium, closer to weapons-grade levels than ever before, worries mount that negotiators won’t find a way back to the accord — raising the risk of a wider war.

The Guard issued a statement announcing the seizures, accusing the tankers of unspecified violations.

Greece’s Foreign Ministry said it made a strong demarche to the Iranian ambassador in Athens over the “violent taking over of two Greek-flagged ships” in the Persian Gulf.

“These acts effectively amount to acts of piracy,” a ministry statement said.

The ministry called for the immediate release of the vessels and their crews and said these acts would have “particularly negative consequences” in bilateral relations and in Iran’s relations with the European Union (EU), of which Greece is a member.

The ministry’s statement said that earlier Friday, an Iranian helicopter landed on the Greek-flagged Delta Poseidon in international waters, some 22 nautical miles off the coast of Iran.

“Armed men then took the crew captive,” it said, adding that two Greek nationals were among the crew. “A similar incident has been reported on another Greek-flagged vessel, that was carrying seven Greek citizens, close to the coast of Iran,” the ministry said.

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