The Duran Quick Take: Episode 229.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the aggressive seizure of a tanker carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria, by the British Royal Marines off the coast of Gibraltar. Police and customs agents say that the tanker was in breach of European Union sanctions.
According to Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/0…), the Grace 1 vessel was boarded early on Thursday when it slowed down in a designated area used by shipping agencies to ferry goods to ships in the UK territory along Spain’s southern coast.
Iran summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the “illegal seizure” of the oil tanker in Gibraltar, Iranian state TV quoted foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying.
John Bolton, White House national security adviser, applauded the interception of the supertanker.
“Excellent news: UK has detained the supertanker Grace I laden with Iranian oil bound for Syria in violation of EU sanctions,” Bolton said on Twitter.