Iran seizes two Greek tankers amid row over U.S oil grab

Tehran (The Times Groupe)- Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two Greek tankers in the Persian Gulf on Friday after Washington seized Iranian oil from a tanker off the Greek coast. Iran previously had threatened Athens with “punitive action” over the seizure of Iranian oil by the United States.

“The Revolutionary Guards Navy seized two Greek tankers for violating Persian Gulf waters,” according to an Iranian state news agency report. No further information was provided about the alleged violations.

Two Greek citizens, including a pilot, were taken hostage by an Iranian navy helicopter that landed on a Greek flagged vessel Delta Poseidon, which was cruising in international waters about 22 nautical miles from the Iranian shore, Greece’s foreign ministry said.

Greece said a similar incident tooplace k near Iran on another Greek-flagged ship, without naming the vessel, and added both actions violated international law. It also complained to Iran’s ambassador in Athens.

Delta Tankers, which operates the Delta Poseidon, could not be reached for comment immediately.

The Greek authorities impounded the Iranian-flagged Pegas last month with 19 Russian crew members aboard last month near the coast of Evia Island due to sanctions imposed by the European Union.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the United States seized the oil cargo held onboard and planned to send it back to the United States on another vessel.

Pegas was later released, but the seizure inflamed tensions at a time when Iran and world powers are seeking to revive a nuclear deal that Washington abandoned under former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Nour News, which is affiliated to an Iranian state security body, said on Twitter earlier on Friday: “After the Greek government seized an Iranian tanker and transferred its oil to the Americans, Iran has decided to take punitive action against Greece.”