Iranian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

I wonder what made them change their mind, or were they just showing the Brits that this could go on forever but Iran will keep it a 1 for 1? If it was me, I would keep the Mesdar and send back the Stena Imperio. Mesdar is similar in size to the Grace 1 while Stena is much much smaller. If they kept the Mesdar, they can just tell the UK to keep Grace 1 as long as they want and Iran will accept that as trade for the Mesdar. The only thing cool about Stena is that she's a new ship, entered service 2018.
now I see I should've posted the Iranian story on the Mesdar I had already read through Reuters; will try to find it now ...

here's what I meant:

"The Revolutionary Guards did not capture a second tanker - the British-operated, Liberian-flagged ship Mesdar - in the Gulf, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, quoting regional military sources.

The Mesdar had turned sharply north toward Iran’s coast on Friday afternoon but then changed course again and headed westward away from Iran, according to Refinitiv tracking data."
Iran says it seized British tanker, denies U.S. brought down drone
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by the way I noticed this link through like breaking news at gazeta.ru (
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): Russians are concerned, as they have three guys on the Stena Impero
 
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now
Iran: Tit for tat in the Persian Gulf
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Iran’s seizure of a British oil tanker was a response to Britain’s role in impounding an Iranian supertanker first, senior officials said Saturday, as newly released video of the incident showed Iranian commandos in black ski masks and fatigues rappelling from a helicopter onto the vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The seizure prompted condemnation from the U.K. and its European allies as they continue to call for a de-escalation of tensions in the critical waterway.

U.K.
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said Britain’s response to Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged ship in the
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“will be considered but robust.”

In comments on Twitter on Saturday, he said he spoke with Iran's foreign minister and expressed extreme disappointment that the Iranian diplomat had assured him Iran wanted to de-escalate the situation but "they have behaved in the opposite way."

He wrote: "This has (to) be about actions not words if we are to find a way through. British shipping must & will be protected."

The free flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is of international importance because one-fifth of all global crude exports passes through the waterway from Mideast exporters to countries around the world. The narrow waterway sits between Iran and Oman.

The British-flagged Stena Impero was intercepted late Friday by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard forces. The ship's owner, Stena Bulk, said the vessel was stopped by "unidentified small crafts and a helicopter" during its transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel was seized with a crew of 23 crew aboard, although none are British nationals.

A video released by the Revolutionary Guard shows several small Guard boats surrounding the larger tanker. Several men dressed in military fatigues and black masks rappel onto the ship from a hovering helicopter.

Hunt said the ship's seizure shows worrying signs Iran may be choosing a dangerous and destabilizing path.

He also defended the British-assisted seizure of Iran’s supertanker two weeks ago as a “legal” move because the vessel was suspected of breaching European Union sanctions on oil shipments to Syria.

The view from Iran was different.

In comments on Twitter on Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif characterized the seizure of Iran's tanker July 4 as "piracy." Politician and former Guard commander, Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezai, wrote that Iran was not seeking conflict, "but we are not going to come up short in reciprocating."

The spokesman for Iran's Guardian Council, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, was also quoted in the semi-official Fars news agency describing Friday's seizure as a legal "reciprocal action."

The council rarely comments on state matters, but when it does it is seen as a reflection of the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s views. The council works closely with Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters.

The tit-for-tat move by Iran drew condemnation from European signatories to Iran's nuclear accord with world powers. Germany and France both called on Iran to immediately release the ship and its crew, with Berlin saying the seizure undermines all efforts to find a way out of the current crisis.

Europe has struggled to contain the tensions that stem from President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. from Iran’s nuclear deal, which had lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for compliance on its nuclear program.

Trump has since re-imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, including its oil exports, and Iran recently increased uranium enrichment levels beyond limits of the deal in a bid to pressure Europe into finding a workaround the crippling economic sanctions.

Britain, which remains a signatory to the nuclear accord, has figured prominently in rising U.S. tensions with Iran ever since Royal Marines took part in
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, a British overseas territory off the southern coast of Spain. Officials there initially said the July 4 seizure happened on orders from the U.S.

Britain has said it would release the vessel, which was carrying more than 2 million barrels of Iranian crude, if Iran could prove it was not breaching EU sanctions. However, a court in Gibraltar just Friday extended the detention of the Panama-flagged Grace 1.

Stena Bulk, the owner of the seized British tanker, said the vessel's crew members are of Indian, Filipino, Russian and Latvian nationalities. Iranian officials say the crew remain on the tanker.

Britain's defense secretary Penny Mordaunt told Sky News the takeover was a "hostile act" by Iran. She said a British Royal Navy frigate deployed to help protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was roughly 60 minutes from the scene when the Iranians took control of the tanker.

That same frigate had previously warned off Iranian Guard vessels from impeding the passage of a British commercial vessel the navy was escorting through the Strait of Hormuz.

There are concerns that with each new maneuver a misunderstanding or misstep by either side could lead to war. In June, Iran shot down an American drone in the same waterway, and Trump came close to retaliating with airstrikes.

The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf region in recent weeks. The U.S. will also send more than 500 U.S. troops as well as aircraft and air defense missiles to Iran's rival, Saudi Arabia.

It marks the first such deployment of U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia since America's withdrawal from the country in 2003. King Salman approved hosting the American forces "to increase joint cooperation in defense and regional security and stability," a statement in the state-run Saudi Press Agency said.
 

Anlsvrthng

Captain
Registered Member
now
In comments on Twitter on Saturday, he said he spoke with Iran's foreign minister and expressed extreme disappointment that the Iranian diplomat had assured him Iran wanted to de-escalate the situation but "they have behaved in the opposite way."
I'm quite curious how Iran can de-escalate this situation .
The USA handling this case as a zero sum game, racking up the pressure day by day, and compared to that the Iranian answer is extremely muted.
What is the expectation regards of Iran ? Stay on the floor, and don't protect your face ?


And I don't understand what Teresa smoke to have this mindset.

In the past few decade the UK MIC had extreme cuts, the RN is a shadow of former itself, and at the same time Teresa started to kick in the groins every possible country posses the capability to cut the UK energy supply, like Russia, Iran . She behave like her constituency likes to pay more for petrol .
The USA using the destroyers as ABM shield against the (other zero sum game) NK ICBMs, UK hasn't got ships to protect the shipping lanes, so what ?

Let Iran start to make a collection of tankers , just because the USA decided it is not fair if they enjoy the freedom of navigation?
 

Mr T

Senior Member
I'm quite curious how Iran can de-escalate this situation/

First, release the tanker. The Iranians decided to claim it was not obeying "international rules" and still haven't given a detailed explanation as to what rules were broken. They've had enough time to come up with a bullcrap justification. It was an apparently empty tanker in Omanese waters heading for a Saudi port. If you're going to lie in a situation like that, do better than "it was being very naughty".

Second, provide evidence that their tanker wasn't in breach of the European sanctions the UK was acting under. If the evidence isn't accepted, offer that the tanker can be escorted closely/under supervision until the oil is off-loaded.

If the tanker is headed to Syria and would be breaking European sanctions, try a diplomatic argument that Iran isn't bound by them. Try the legal route before breaking the law in such a flagrant way.

UK hasn't got ships to protect the shipping lanes

We don't have enough there currently, but in theory it probably does in a place like the Gulf if it organised convoys. However, the RN ships are mostly on other duties and would take time to get there.
 

Anlsvrthng

Captain
Registered Member
First, release the tanker. The Iranians decided to claim it was not obeying "international rules" and still haven't given a detailed explanation as to what rules were broken. They've had enough time to come up with a bullcrap justification. It was an apparently empty tanker in Omanese waters heading for a Saudi port. If you're going to lie in a situation like that, do better than "it was being very naughty".

Second, provide evidence that their tanker wasn't in breach of the European sanctions the UK was acting under. If the evidence isn't accepted, offer that the tanker can be escorted closely/under supervision until the oil is off-loaded.

If the tanker is headed to Syria and would be breaking European sanctions, try a diplomatic argument that Iran isn't bound by them. Try the legal route before breaking the law in such a flagrant way.

We don't have enough there currently, but in theory it probably does in a place like the Gulf if it organised convoys. However, the RN ships are mostly on other duties and would take time to get there.


So, you suggestion for Iran is to stay of floor, and stop to protect his face .


The ship was seized on 16 of July, the judges bound by the internal rules of the countries.

Up to this point it will seized until middle of august.

By any chance Iran wants to send one ship per day, not one ship per year.

So, in best case Iran would face a cat mouse game for years to get back the ship, and in the meantime the economy of it is suffocated.

Your suggested route is equivalent like suggesting to a person bated by a bully to start to write a legal complain instead of try to fight back or at least to run.

De-escalation could be like the UK/EU start to respect the :
-ownership of property
-freedom of navigation

Confiscating of a ship like this equivalent of an illegal sea blockade.


By doing this opening up the door for the other country to do the same with the given country ships.

So, Iran can seize any EU ships from now on , by the Common law.


And finally , the UK still has the opportunity to challenge the Iranian seize in an Iranian court as well.
 
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Dizasta1

Senior Member
What Iran did is justified, because you can't just sieze a country's tanker with the reasoning that it can't sell petroleum to another country based on the argument that said country's leader must go. For starters, who gave you the authority to declare that said country's leader must go? Are you God? No!!

This sort of behavior is termed as bullying, thug like behavior. Syria has every right to choose it's leader and Iran has every right to trade with whomsoever it wishes to trade with. Just like every country has the right to nuclear energy. Arguing on one end that Iran shouldn't have nuclear energy because it may develop nuclear weapons. While Israel can develop, weaponize and deploy nuclear weapons despite the country being armed to the teeth with vastly superior weapons provided by America, free of cost. This what two-faced, devious diplomacy looks like. It has no leg to stand on, because it's argument is based on exceptionalism, arrogance and condescending attitude.

Now that Iran has seized a British tanker, the message should sink in on Britain. That Iran is NOT Iraq, that free trade is not your personal property, that freedom of navigation applies to all countries and finally, this isn't the colonial era anymore and you're not a superpower anymore either. So its best if you start building relations with other countries, rather than behaving like your old colonial, imperial past self.

The world hasn't forgotten Britain's ugly past. It's best if you build bridges, rather than destroying them by yourself.
 

Mr T

Senior Member
So, you suggestion for Iran is to stay of floor, and stop to protect his face.

No, it's for Iran to at least try legal avenues to resolve the situation. It hasn't even tried to do so.

the judges bound by the internal rules of the countries

Actually, British and European judges also have to follow international law. If Iran believes that it doesn't need to obey EU sanctions according to international law, it can easily demonstrate that in the courts here. Our judges would be required to find in Iran's favour. They're independent.

So, in best case Iran would face a cat mouse game for years to get back the ship

Wrong. The courts could resolve the issue in several months at most if Iran filed an urgent case.

in the meantime the economy of it is suffocated

Is 100% of Iran's oil sent to Syria? Obviously not. Iranian oil ships are free to go to any country that aren't under sanctions. The vast majority of Iranian oil doesn't have any problems moving to where it needs to go.

So, Iran can seize any EU ships from now on , by the Common law.

On what basis? Does Iran have sanctions against every country the EU trades with? Even if it was the case that the Iranian tanker shouldn't have been stopped, two wrongs don't make a right.

And finally , the UK still has the opportunity to challenge the Iranian seize in an Iranian court as well.

Given that the Iranian judiciary do whatever the Supreme Leader's office tells them to do (at least on an important issue like this), that wouldn't achieve anything.
 

Anlsvrthng

Captain
Registered Member
No, it's for Iran to at least try legal avenues to resolve the situation. It hasn't even tried to do so.
It start at the diplomatic level.
Actually, British and European judges also have to follow international law. If Iran believes that it doesn't need to obey EU sanctions according to international law, it can easily demonstrate that in the courts here. Our judges would be required to find in Iran's favour. They're independent.
Ahem. The judges follow the national laws, there is no "international law", but international agreements that ratified into the national law system.

The UK law system is quite tricky from this standpoint ,there is no "hierarchy" in it like in the USA legal system.

So, NO , your argument doesn't hold water. The Judge will do whatever rules the government makes.
Wrong. The courts could resolve the issue in several months at most if Iran filed an urgent case.
Oh , so Iran can't ship for months.
Can't you feel the sarcasm ?
Is 100% of Iran's oil sent to Syria? Obviously not. Iranian oil ships are free to go to any country that aren't under sanctions. The vast majority of Iranian oil doesn't have any problems moving to where it needs to go.

Please read back you text.
USA sanctioned Iran, means USA has all of its right to confiscate every Iranian ship on all sea .

On what basis? Does Iran have sanctions against every country the EU trades with? Even if it was the case that the Iranian tanker shouldn't have been stopped, two wrongs don't make a right.
I'm sure they have sanctions. That takes only an act of parliament . Are you expert in Iranian law ?
Given that the Iranian judiciary do whatever the Supreme Leader's office tells them to do (at least on an important issue like this), that wouldn't achieve anything.
Surprise, surprise, it works like that in every country.

The political leader makes rules in the UK ( they call it as Act of Parliament in UK) and the judiciary will follow them.
If the item is critical, like the length of unemployment benefits then it can takes long time, but if it is irrelevant ,like start a war with another country it takes hours.

If the Parliament makes an act about the legality of example blowing up every red ship spotted by the RN then it will be lawful for every UK citizen on UK soil ( like on a warship )
 

Just4Fun

Junior Member
Registered Member
It was an apparently empty tanker in Omanese waters heading for a Saudi port.

I'm not sure if the British flagged tanker “Stena Impero” was really empty, or it was actually smuggling something illegal, such as Weapons of Massive Destruction (WMD). Thus, Iran's search and seizure of the "Stena Impero" is completely is justifiable.

It is said Iranian intelligence agencies have successfully retrieved some WHITE POWDER from the seized "Stena Impero", which looks like what Colin Powell had showed to the world on February 5, 2003, before the start of the Iraq war. And sources of reliable information indicate that the Iranians are actively considering to give a UN presentation to show the white powder to the world.

Please tune in for new developments in the Gulf.

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