An Iranian crude oil supertanker anchored off Singapore. IMAGE: REUTERS
The United Kingdom should be “scared” of a possible Iranian response to the recent capture of an Iranian supertanker by the British navy in Gibraltar, Mohammad Ali Mousavi Jazayeri, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, threatened on July 6.
“I am openly saying that Britain should be scared of Iran’s retaliatory measures over the illegal seizure of the Iranian oil tanker,” Jazayeri told the Fars News Agency.
The semi-Iranian official added: “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.”
A detachment of the Royal Marines and Gibraltar’s authorities seized the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 in the morning of July 4.
Following the incident, Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council (EDC), said that his country should seize a British oil tanker if London doesn’t release the supertanker.
Grace 1 is currently being held off the shores of Gibraltar. The local authorities said on July 5 that said on Friday it had obtained an order extending the detention of the supertanker by 14 days. This will likely escalate the tension between Tehran and London.
