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Gibraltar Seizes Syria-Bound Tanker Thought to Be Carrying Iranian Oil Gibraltar Seizes Syria-Bound Tanker Thought to Be Carrying Iranian Oil
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — British marines and the port authorities in Gibraltar on Thursday detained a supertanker that was carrying crude oil from Iran to Syria, a violation of European Union sanctions against Syria. The seizure of the ship threatened to raise tensions between Iran and the West. LONDON — The British marines and the port authorities in Gibraltar on Thursday detained a supertanker that was carrying crude oil from Iran to Syria, a violation of European Union sanctions against Syria. The seizure of the ship threatened to raise tensions between Iran and the West.
Spain said the vessel had been detained at the request of the United States, and Iran summoned the British ambassador over what a Foreign Ministry spokesman called an “illegal” seizure.Spain said the vessel had been detained at the request of the United States, and Iran summoned the British ambassador over what a Foreign Ministry spokesman called an “illegal” seizure.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Seyed Abbas Mousavi, confirmed on Thursday that the detained ship, the Grace 1, was carrying crude oil from Iran, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency.The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Seyed Abbas Mousavi, confirmed on Thursday that the detained ship, the Grace 1, was carrying crude oil from Iran, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency.
Although President Trump has imposed sanctions to choke off Iran’s exports of oil and petrochemical products, the British and Gibraltar authorities cited not those sanctions but the European Union ones against sanctions on Syria as the reason for detaining the tanker.Although President Trump has imposed sanctions to choke off Iran’s exports of oil and petrochemical products, the British and Gibraltar authorities cited not those sanctions but the European Union ones against sanctions on Syria as the reason for detaining the tanker.
“We have reason to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Banyas Refinery in Syria,” Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar, said in a statement. “That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria.”“We have reason to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Banyas Refinery in Syria,” Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar, said in a statement. “That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria.”
Spain’s acting foreign minister, Josep Borrell, told Spanish news media that the oil tanker had been seized following “a request from the United States to the United Kingdom.” He said that Spain had been kept informed about the seizure, but offered no details to support his assertion about an American request.Spain’s acting foreign minister, Josep Borrell, told Spanish news media that the oil tanker had been seized following “a request from the United States to the United Kingdom.” He said that Spain had been kept informed about the seizure, but offered no details to support his assertion about an American request.
Although it is not illegal under international law to buy or ship Iranian oil or related products, foreign companies that do so risk punishment by the United States. Iran has been largely cut off from European markets by the American sanctions, which were imposed by the Trump administration after it withdrew the United States from the nuclear accord.Although it is not illegal under international law to buy or ship Iranian oil or related products, foreign companies that do so risk punishment by the United States. Iran has been largely cut off from European markets by the American sanctions, which were imposed by the Trump administration after it withdrew the United States from the nuclear accord.
The European parties to the nuclear accord, including Britain, have tried to preserve the fraying deal, which had promised economic relief in exchange for limits to Iran’s nuclear program. But Tehran exceeded a critical limit of the accord on Monday, and threatened to breach another as early as Sunday, after weeks of escalating tensions with the United States and months of increasingly dire economic conditions in Iran.The European parties to the nuclear accord, including Britain, have tried to preserve the fraying deal, which had promised economic relief in exchange for limits to Iran’s nuclear program. But Tehran exceeded a critical limit of the accord on Monday, and threatened to breach another as early as Sunday, after weeks of escalating tensions with the United States and months of increasingly dire economic conditions in Iran.
Some of the world’s shipping fleets have defied the sanctions to continue doing business with Iran. Companies that monitor international shipping say that the Grace 1 turned off its electronic tracking devices as it sailed into Iranian waters, then turned them on again after leaving — a tactic often used to evade the sanctions, though ships can still be followed through satellite photography.Some of the world’s shipping fleets have defied the sanctions to continue doing business with Iran. Companies that monitor international shipping say that the Grace 1 turned off its electronic tracking devices as it sailed into Iranian waters, then turned them on again after leaving — a tactic often used to evade the sanctions, though ships can still be followed through satellite photography.
[Read about other ships vanishing in plain sight to evade sanctions on Iran.][Read about other ships vanishing in plain sight to evade sanctions on Iran.]
The British Foreign Office had no immediate response on Thursday afternoon. On Twitter, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt praised Gibraltar and the British marines “for this bold move to enforce Syria sanctions.” He said they had denied “valuable resources” to the Syrian government.The British Foreign Office had no immediate response on Thursday afternoon. On Twitter, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt praised Gibraltar and the British marines “for this bold move to enforce Syria sanctions.” He said they had denied “valuable resources” to the Syrian government.
The State Department and the United States National Security Council also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The State Department and the United States National Security Council also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Mousavi, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said in a post on Twitter that Britain’s ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, had been summoned to the Iranian Embassy over the seizure. “We told the ambassador that their action is very strange because these sanctions are not imposed by the Security Council and Iran rejects them,” Mr. Mousavi said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. Mr. Mousavi, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a post on Twitter that Britain’s ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, had been summoned to the Iranian Embassy over the seizure. “We told the ambassador that their action is very strange because these sanctions are not imposed by the Security Council and Iran rejects them,” Mr. Mousavi said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.
Mr. Mousavi said that Britain’s seizure signaled “a kind of cross-border sanctions enforcement that the European Union always opposed.”Mr. Mousavi said that Britain’s seizure signaled “a kind of cross-border sanctions enforcement that the European Union always opposed.”
Samir Madani, a co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, which follows maritime traffic using satellite data, said the ship was anchored near the Iranian oil terminal at Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf in mid-April. Later, he said, it sat deep in the water, indicating that it was carrying oil from Iran. Samir Madani, a founder of TankerTrackers.com, which follows maritime traffic using satellite data, said the ship was anchored near the Iranian oil terminal at Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf in mid-April. Later, he said, it sat deep in the water, indicating that it was carrying oil from Iran.
The tanker, which exceeds the size limits for the Suez Canal, sailed around Africa to reach the Mediterranean, ending up in Gibraltar for unexplained reasons.The tanker, which exceeds the size limits for the Suez Canal, sailed around Africa to reach the Mediterranean, ending up in Gibraltar for unexplained reasons.
“For some odd reason they decided to go to Gibraltar,” Mr. Madani said.“For some odd reason they decided to go to Gibraltar,” Mr. Madani said.
Various shipping websites list the tanker as a 300,000-ton vessel more than 1,000 feet long, built in the 1990s and flying the flag of Panama.Various shipping websites list the tanker as a 300,000-ton vessel more than 1,000 feet long, built in the 1990s and flying the flag of Panama.
The seizure also threatened to aggravate a dispute between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, a British territory that Spain contests.The seizure also threatened to aggravate a dispute between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, a British territory that Spain contests.
Mr. Borrell, who is set to take over as the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said that the Spanish government would study whether Britain’s actions had violated its territorial water claims. Spain does not recognize Britain’s sovereignty over Gibraltar, which dates to a 1713 treaty.Mr. Borrell, who is set to take over as the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said that the Spanish government would study whether Britain’s actions had violated its territorial water claims. Spain does not recognize Britain’s sovereignty over Gibraltar, which dates to a 1713 treaty.
“We’re looking at which way this affects our sovereignty, in as far as it took place in waters whose sovereignty we understand to belong to Spain,” Mr. Borrell said, according to the Europa Press news agency and other news reports.“We’re looking at which way this affects our sovereignty, in as far as it took place in waters whose sovereignty we understand to belong to Spain,” Mr. Borrell said, according to the Europa Press news agency and other news reports.