Iran warns Britain that Gibraltar oil tanker seizure ‘will not go unanswered’ as BP ship is forced to take refuge off Saudi
BRITAIN'S seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar last week will not go "unanswered", Iran's military chief has threatened.
This comes as a BP oil tanker is sheltering inside the Persian Gulf amid fears it could be seized by Tehran, it has been reported.
Diplomatic tensions are rising between the UK and Iran.
The Islamic Republic’s Major General Mohammad Bagheri said its tanker, named Grace 1, has been held on “fabricated excuses”, according to the Tasnim news agency.
He said: "Capture of the Iranian oil tanker based on fabricated excuses ... will not be unanswered and when necessary Tehran will give appropriate answer.”
British Royal Marines boarded the crude oil supertanker off the coast of Gibraltar on Thursday and seized it over accusations it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
Iran has demanded the immediate release of the oil tanker, while an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander threatened on Friday to seize a British ship in retaliation.
Capture of the Iranian oil tanker based on fabricated excuses ... will not be unanswered
Meanwhile, a BP vessel named British Heritage, which was heading to Iraq’s Basrah terminal, made an “abrupt” u-turn and returned to the safety of Saudi Arabia’s coastline on Sunday, reports .
It is claimed that the British Petroleum is worried about being captured by Iranian forces in light of the Gibraltar seizure.
While the company has not commented, the reports that the ship did change course at the weekend.
Satellite tracking services show that the boat is currently stationed off the coast of Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s foreign minister has accused the UK of “piracy” for detaining Grace 1 on Thursday.
Downing Street has claimed the vessel was bound for Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.
Yesterday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: “Iran is neither a member of the EU nor subject to any European oil embargo.
“Last I checked, EU was against extraterritoriality.
“UK’s unlawful seizure of a tanker with Iranian oil on behalf of #B_Team is piracy, pure and simple.”
The term B Team is a derogatory term the Iranians use for the Trump administration.
Last week, firebrand cleric Mohammad Ali Mousavi Jazayeri hinted the Islamic Republic may strike back over the capture of the giant vessel.
"I am openly saying that Britain should be scared of Iran's retaliatory measures over the illegal seizure of the Iranian oil tanker," said the cleric, a member of the powerful clerical body the Assembly of Experts.
"We have shown that we will never remain silent against bullying ...As we gave a staunch response to the American drone, the appropriate response to this illegal capture (of the tanker) will be given by Iran as well," he said.
He spoke out weeks after Tehran's forces shot down the unmanned US military drone it claimed had intruded into Iranian airspace.
Earlier former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaee said on Twitter that it was Tehran's “duty” to strike back and seize a UK ship.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Commandos dramatically detained the tanker over suspicions it was carrying oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions on Thursday.
Gibraltar's Supreme Court today granted a 14-day extension for the local authorities to legally detain the supertanker.
However, Rezaee - now a top politician - tweeted: "The Islamic Revolution was never an initiator of tension during its 40-year-old history, however, it has not hesitated to respond to bullies.
"If UK doesn’t return the Iranian tanker, the duty of responsible (Iranian) bodies is to seize a British oil tanker in a retaliatory measure."
Rezaee did not spell out how and where the Islamic Republic intended to strike back.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours