With the Persian Gulf uncharacteristically quiet in recent days, without any material provocation either real of staged, late on Wednesday CNN reported that five armed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard boats unsuccessfully tried to seize a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. There was no independent verification of the report, but instead it was once again sourced to those who stands to gain the most from a way with Iran, namely "two US officials with direct knowledge of the incident."
According to the report, the British Heritage tanker was sailing out of the Persian Gulf and was crossing into the Strait of Hormuz area when it was approached by the Iranian boats. The Iranians ordered the tanker to change course and stop in nearby Iranian territorial waters, according to the officials. A US aircraft was overhead and recorded video of the incident, although so far a video has not been released.
In addition to the US aircraft escort, the UK's Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose had been escorting the tanker, and during the confrontation, it trained its deck guns on the Iranians and gave them a verbal warning to back away, which they did. Montrose is equipped on the deck with 30 mm guns specifically designed to drive off small boats. The frigate was in the region performing a "maritime security role" according to a prior notification from UK officials.
The incident takes place less than a week after British Royal Marines in Gibraltar stormed and seized an Iranian ship believed to have been carrying oil to Syria, in what authorities said was a violation of European Union sanctions on Syria. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned earlier Wednesday that the UK "will see the consequences" after the Gibraltar seizure.
Rouhani, speaking in a cabinet session, said, "I tell the British that they are the initiator of insecurity and you will understand its consequences later."
On Tuesday, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford said that the US and allies were working to put together a coalition of countries to come up with a system to enforce freedom of navigation in the region amid what the US says are heightened threats from Iran.
BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS
Five armed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats failed in an attempt to capture a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, CNN reported.
The British tanker was crossing into the Strait of Hormuz when the Iranian boats approached. The Iranian ships told the British Heritage tanker that it should change its course and stop in Iranian territorial waters. A US aircraft overheard and recorded the incident, CNN reported. The UK's Royal Navy frigate HMS Montros had been escorting the tanker.
The British tanker was crossing into the Strait of Hormuz when the Iranian boats approached. The Iranian ships told the British Heritage tanker that it should change its course and stop in Iranian territorial waters. A US aircraft overheard and recorded the incident, CNN reported. The UK's Royal Navy frigate HMS Montros had been escorting the tanker.
When given orders by the Iranian ships, the Navy frigate pointed its guns on the Iranians and warned them to back away. The Iranian ships backed away in response to the verbal warning.
Britian seized a Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar last week over accusations it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri said the aggression would not go “unanswered.”
"Capture of the Iranian oil tanker based on fabricated excuses ... will not be unanswered and when necessary Tehran will give appropriate answer," Bagheri said.
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