Published on : 27/05/2022 – 20:36
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s elite army, announced on Friday that it had seized two Greek oil tankers, shortly after protesting Greece’s seizure of a ship carrying Iranian oil.
With our correspondent in Tehran, Siavosh Ghazi
The two Greek tankers were seized in the Persian Gulf. These two ships were carrying nearly two million barrels of oil. Revolutionary Guard helicopters airlifted gunmen to the two ships to take control of them. A total of nine Greeks are part of the crews of the two tankers.
This action comes after Greece seized a Russian tanker that was carrying Iranian oil in the Mediterranean. Greece had agreed to hand over the cargo of this tanker to the United States.
Earlier on Friday, Tehran summoned the Swiss charge d’affaires whose country represents US interests to demand the release of the tanker carrying Iranian oil, saying it would take action against Greece.
Actions strongly condemned by Athens. ” These acts are similar to piracy said the ministry in a statement, calling on Greek citizens to avoid traveling to Iran.
These new tensions come as nuclear negotiations between Iran and the major powers are at an impasse. The United States refuses to remove the Revolutionary Guards from the list of terrorist groups and has imposed new sanctions against this Iranian army for smuggling oil.