In the hands of the Revolutionary Guards[/B] since yesterday are two Greek-owned tankers, after a raid carried out by members of the Iranian armed forces, taking control of both the ships and their crews.
The fact of the seizure of the two ships was made known by the Iranians themselves, in a statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), announcing that "the IRGC naval forces seized the two ships today (i.e. The IRGC forces seized two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf today
The two ships, Delta Poseidon and Warrior, were in the Persian Gulf when the Revolutionary Guards began their seizure operation.
The two ships, Delta Poseidon and Warrior, were in the Persian Gulf when the Revolutionary Guards began their seizure operation. According to information, the Delta had 25 crew members, including two Greeks, while the Warrior had 23 crew members, including seven Greeks, present at the time.[/B]
The anxiety of the relatives and friends of the Greek sailors is further intensified by the fact that the landing on the ship Delta Poseidon was reportedly carried out by a helicopter from which seven armed men descended, while the landing with seven armed men on the ship Prudent Warrior was similar. Meanwhile, the news made the rounds, with the world's major news networks pointing out that the hijacking occurred as the ship was sailing in international waters.
As for the fate of the crews, the only information that has become known since the first moments of the "hijacking" is the fact that the armed Revolutionary Guards have gathered the entire crew of the Delta Poseidon on the bridge of the ship. As for the situation of the crew of the Prudent Warrior, there has been no news so far.
Despite the efforts of both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Shipping, however, no communication with the two ships has been possible so far, with the Greek authorities remaining on alert in order to coordinate their actions. As a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Shipping provided information to the ships alongside (some 17 tankers) in the Persian Gulf to be on heightened alert, in case the Revolutionary Guards' raids were extended.
In terms of ownership, Delta Poseidon is owned by the Delta Tankers fleet of Diamantis Diamantidis and Prudent Warrior by Polembros Shipping Limited, a company owned by Spyros Polemis.
Speculation of retaliation
In the diplomatic thriller that has been unfolding since yesterday, the first interpretations given relate the Revolutionary Guards' raid on the two Greek ships as retaliation for the seizure of a Russian ship carrying oil from Iran last April in Karystos.
The reaction from the Greek Foreign Ministry has been angry, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a strong protest against the Iranian Ambassador in Athens, even referring to the "violent seizure of two Greek-flagged ships in the Gulf". Attaching particular importance to the development of the case, Vasilissis Sophia warned that the incident overshadows the bilateral framework of Greece-Iran diplomatic relations, as well as the EU-Iran relationship, at a time of intense international consultations on Tehran's nuclear programme.
The Foreign Ministry's statement. The Secretary-General strongly condemned these acts, which are contrary to fundamental rules of international law and international navigation.
He called for the immediate release of the ships and their crews. He also stressed that these actions will have a particularly negative impact on bilateral relations, as well as on EU-Iran relations.
In particular, earlier today an Iranian Navy helicopter boarded the Greek-flagged Delta Poseidon ship which was sailing in international waters (22 nautical miles off the coast of Iran) in the Gulf. Armed men then captured the crew of the ship, including two Greek citizens.
A similar incident was reported to have occurred on another Greek-flagged ship, carrying seven Greek citizens, which was off the Iranian coast.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already informed the European External Action Service, the International Maritime Organization, as well as allies and partners of Greece. In light of the above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Greek citizens avoid travel to Iran.
Ships flying the Greek flag are advised to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy, with which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close coordination and continuous communication."
This unexpected development has resulted in a strong reaction from the entire political world, as there is no news on the situation of the Greek sailors, while it is perceived as a rapid deterioration of diplomatic relations between Greece and Iran.
Source: Proto Thema
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