US 'Piracy' Attempt Failed, Iran Says After Court Orders Tanker Release

This undated image made from a video provided by the IRGC/IRIB shows a ship in the Persian Gulf. Iranian forces seized the ship, which it suspected of carrying smuggled fuel, state media reported Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, marking the Revolutionary Guard's third seizure of a vessel in recent weeks and the latest show of strength by the paramilitary force amid a spike in regional tensions. (IRGC/IRIB via AP)

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) – Iran’s top diplomat said a U.S. attempt at “piracy” had failed after a Gibraltar court on Thursday ordered the release of a tanker carrying Iranian oil despite a U.S. detention request.

A supreme court judge in Gibraltar ruled in favour of releasing the Grace 1 supertanker which had been seized in waters off the British territory on July 4 on suspicion of breaching EU sanctions on Syria.

“Having failed to accomplish its objectives through its #EconomicTerrorism — including depriving cancer patients of medicine — the U.S. attempted to abuse the legal system to steal our property on the high seas,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.

“This piracy attempt is indicative of Trump admin’s contempt for the law.”

Iran’s ambassador to London called the verdict a “humiliating defeat” for the United States, his country’s arch-enemy.

“Minutes ago… the tanker carrying Iranian oil was freed from illegal detention,” Hamid Baeidinejad wrote on his Twitter account.

“The U.S. with its last minute cowardly attempts sought to stop the tanker leaving detention which faced a humiliating defeat,” he added.

Categories / International, Politics

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