Wednesday, July 17, 2019

‘IT WILL NOT GO UNANSWERED’ Iran doubles down on threat to attack Britain over ‘vicious’ oil tanker seizure as Royal Navy sends a THIRD warship to the Gulf

IRAN’s supreme leader has threatened Britain with retaliation over the “vicious” seizure of an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar.
As tensions escalate over the tanker row, it's been revealed that the Royal Navy is set to send a third warship to the Persian Gulf this summer.
It comes as an Iranian bomb boat was found in the path of a second British warship – the HMS Duncan – which is currently racing to the flashpoint.
Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Britain of “piracy” after the Royal Marines seized a supertanker believed to be carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria on July 5.
He has called for the immediate release of the oil tanker Grace 1, which was detained on suspicion it was breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
In a TV speech, the Ayatollah said: “Evil Britain commits piracy and steals our ship and gives it a legal appearance.
“Iran and those who believe in our system will not leave such vicious deeds unanswered.”
The comments were made as concerns grow about a UAE-based Gulf oil tanker, the MT Riah, which went missing in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
Tracking data from the MT Riah last showed it heading for Iranian waters.
A US defence official said on Tuesday the US “has suspicions” the tanker has been seized by Iran.
Tensions between Iran and the UK have spiralled since the Iranian Grace 1 oil tanker was seized by the Royal Navy earlier this month off the coast of Gibraltar.
Iran has threatened to seize a British tanker in retaliation if the Grace 1 is not released.

FLASHPOINT READ MORE