Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 11, 2019 – The terrorist-designated Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) in Iran failed, in humiliating fashion, in its plot to seize a British oil tanker sailing in the Persian Gulf near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Five IRGC boats approached the UK’s “British Heritage” on Wednesday, ordering the ship to come to a halt in Iranian waters, according to U.S. officials.
According to published reports, the British HMS Montrose, escorting the British Heritage oil tanker, pointed its cannons towards the IRGC boats and issued verbal warnings to the crew, forcing the mullahs’ forces to retreat.
U.S. officials say an American aircraft was flying over the area at the time and took video footage of the incident which has not been released as of yet, according to CNN.
Yesterday, Iranian regime President Hassan Rouhani had issued a threat saying the UK’s seizure of Iran’s “Grace 1” supertanker near Gibraltar will face retaliation.
Former IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaie, now Secretariat of the regime’s Expediency Council, was also furious over the Grace 1’s seizure by UK Royal Marines units. Rezaie resorted to a threat saying the Iranian regime’s related apparatus should take measures and seize a British oil tanker.
“If the UK refuses to release the Iranian oil tanker, it is the responsibility of our related apparatus to take retaliatory action and seize a British oil tanker,” he said.
The British Navy confiscated the Iranian regime’s Grace 1 supertanker on July 4 for violating European Union sanctions imposed on Syria. This significant measure has increased tensions in relations between Western countries and the mullahs’ regime in Iran.
If proven that the Iranian regime oil tanker was carrying oil for the Bashar Assad regime of Syria, in addition to violating EU sanctions on Syria, it will be a violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on the regime in Iran, according to Reuters.
Media reports indicate another oil tanker related to Iran was seized by Egypt in the Suez Canal.
