Anxiety prevails in Greece and Cyprus after the seizure of two Greek oil tankers by the Revolutionary Guards, in the Persian Gulf.[/B]
Asked to comment on the actions taken by Nicosia, Mr. Demetriou explained that they are in constant contact with the Cyprus Ambassador in Tehran, who is on an open line with the Iranian Foreign Ministry and efforts are being made for a comprehensive management of the issue.
- Under investigation if there is a Cypriot on the seized ships, Foreign Ministry says. On open line with Athens
- Anxiety for crews after Persian Gulf piracy[/URL]
Specifically, the Greek-flagged and Greek-owned oil tankers Delta Poseidon and Prudent Warrior were seized yesterday by the Revolutionary Guards Navy while sailing in the Persian Gulf.
The Revolutionary Guards Guards Guards Corps (IRGC) press office issued a laconic statement yesterday that the IRGC Navy seized two Greek oil tankers for violations in Persian Gulf waters.
Conflicting information about the circumstances of the seizure of the Greek oil tankers
The Iranian semi-official news agency Nour News, which expresses the positions of the Revolutionary Guards, reported more details about the event, specifying that the two Greek oil tankers were sailing within Iranian territorial waters. According to the same source, the Delta Poseidon and the Prudent Warrior were sailing off the Iranian ports of Bandar-Lenge and Assaloui respectively and that their crew members were detained.
Greek public television ERT reported last night that the seizure of the two Greek oil tankers took place when one of them was sailing in international waters and the second near the Iranian coast. According to a map posted by ERT's news website, ertnews.gr, the Delta Poseidon oil tanker was sailing off the Iranian port of Assaloui and the Prudent Warrior off the port of Bandar-Lenge. On the contrary, the Iranian agency Nour News in its relevant telegram reports the reverse position of the two seized Greek oil tankers, namely that the Delta Poseidon was allegedly sailing off the port of Bandar-Lenge and the Prudent Warrior off the port of Asalouye.
ERT reported that during the operation to seize the two Greek oil tankers, helicopters with armed men of the "Revolutionary Guards" landed on their decks and captured the crew. In contrast, Nour News and other Iranian media did not report details of the operation to seize the ships.
The Iranian Nour News agency reported that only the Delta Poseidon included Greek citizens among its crew members, adding that there were no Greeks on the Prudent Warrior. On the contrary, Greek public television published detailed data on the number of crew members, their nationalities and shipowning companies. According to ERT, the Delta Poseidon has a total crew of 25 people, two of whom are Greek, while the Prudent Warrior has a crew of 23, eight of whom are Greek and one of whom is a Cypriot citizen. ERT also reported that the Delta Poseidon is owned by the Delta Tankers company of Diamantis Diamantidis and the Prudent Warrior is owned by the Polembros Shipping Limited company of Spyros Polemis' interests.
According to Nour News, the two Greek oil tankers loaded oil at the Iraqi port of Basra. The Delta Poseidon's cargo was destined for the United States, while the destination of the Prudent Warrior reportedly remains unknown. The oil carried by the two ships was transhipped at the Iranian ports of Bandar-Lenge and Asalweh respectively.
In its relevant telegram last night, the Iranian Nour News agency said that "the seizure of the two Greek oil tankers is an act of retaliation as a result of the coordinated theft of Iranian oil by Greece and the United States", without specifically mentioning which fact justifies the Iranian retaliation against Greece.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in order to justify the decision to seize the two Greek oil tankers yesterday, cites an official protest of the Iranian Maritime and Ports Organization to the Greek government issued on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The Iranian protest refers to an incident that allegedly took place on the same day (25/5/2022) when Greek authorities seized an Iranian-flagged tanker sailing in Greek territorial waters. The protest of the Iranian Maritime and Ports Organization described the decision of the Greek authorities as an act of piracy and a violation of international navigation rules, calling on the Greek government to meet its international obligations and immediately lift the seizure of the Iranian ship: The ship was facing adverse weather conditions and a significant number of technical problems, resulting in a request for assistance. According to international navigation rules, the State exercising sovereignty over the nearest coastline in relation to a vessel calling for assistance, on the grounds of navigational safety, should cooperate in order to bring the vessel to a place of safety. The vessel may then take appropriate measures to resolve the technical problems encountered and resume its course when the danger has been fully addressed. However, the Iranian media do not indicate the exact location of the Iranian tanker allegedly seized by the Greek authorities, nor do they specify the details of the identity of the tanker about which the above-mentioned protest was issued by the Iranian Maritime and Ports Organization to the Greek government, other than the fact that it was an Iranian-flagged vessel.
Regarding the protest of the Iranian Maritime and Ports Organization dated 25/5/2022, the Iranian media report that on the same day (Wednesday 25 May) the Director of the Mediterranean Department of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited the Embassy of Greece in Tehran and, due to the absence of the Greek Ambassador, addressed the Greek Chargé d'Affaires in order to remind him of Greece's international obligations, requesting the immediate release of the Iranian tanker. According to the English-language pro-government Tehran Times, during the same meeting, the Iranian official criticized Greece for its intransigence in the face of pressure from the United States, describing the Greek stance as unacceptable. In addition, Nour News Agency reports that earlier yesterday, before the Iranian diplomatic official's meeting with the Greek Chargé d'Affaires took place, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a separate diatribe against the United States before the Swiss Chargé d'Affaires in Tehran, who represents the US in Iran, accusing Washington of the illegal seizure of Iranian oil carried by a Russian tanker of Iranian interests which was allegedly seized last Wednesday 25/5 by the Greek authorities. In his diatribe, the head of the US Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry urged the Swiss Chargé d'Affaires to convey to the US administration Iran's strong protest against the ongoing violation of international law and international navigation and trade treaties, while calling for the immediate release of the Iranian tanker and the seized oil.
On the other hand, information broadcast last night by Greek public television links yesterday's Iranian seizure of the Greek oil tankers with the decision of the Greek authorities to seize a Russian-owned ship carrying Iranian oil that was sailing off the coast of Karystos last April. As announced by the Greek authorities at the time, the detention of the oil tanker LANA with a crew of 19 Russian citizens was carried out in application of relevant European legislation, which prohibits Russian-flagged vessels from calling at European ports, in the context of EU sanctions against Russia.
Strong protest by the Greek Foreign Ministry
Late last night, at the behest of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, the Secretary General of the Ministry, Themistoklis Demiris, made a strong protest to the Iranian Ambassador in Athens, calling it an act of piracy. In addition, Greece issued a travel advisory to Greek citizens not to visit Iran until further notice.
This is the first serious diplomatic crisis between Athens and Tehran after decades of traditionally friendly relations.
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
