“This release is not being made because of any third party’s mediation,” he highlighted.

On July 19, IRGC detained the British-flagged ship, Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz for failing to respect international maritime rules.

In early September, Iran announced the release of the ship’s seven crew members on ‘humanitarian grounds’.

Tehran has repeatedly said that the country’s Judiciary branch should decide on the fate of Stena Impero.

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“However, the consular status and individual permits of the crew were reviewed, and after further consideration and also for humanitarian grounds, some of the crew were allowed to leave the ship and return to daily life,” noted the FM spox.

He went on to say that legal proceedings of the ship’s case are underway in Iran’s judiciary, adding that Tehran has asked the ship’s captain to let off some of the crew. “The captain has decided to choose seven Indian crew members in a way that it would not harm their duties [in the ship] and to adopt measures to let them out. These individuals can soon leave the country.”

On July 19, IRGC detained the British-flagged ship, Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz for failing to stop after hitting an Iranian fishing boat, a violation of international maritime rules.

IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri highlighted in mid-August that Port and Maritime Organization of Iran (PMO) and Iranian Judiciary system have to decide on the fate of Stena Impero, adding, “there is no relation between the release of Grace 1 from Gibraltar and the British oil tanker detained by IRGC.”

Indian Foreign Ministry officials have been in contact with the Iranian Foreign Ministry since the ship’s detainment in July to facilitate the release of 18 Indian crews of Stena Impero.

In a tweet in early August, the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced that the 18 Indian crew are in good health with adequate supplies in Iran. “We are focussed on the early release and repatriation of all 18 Indian crew members of Stena Impero,” he wrote, adding, “We remain in constant contact with Iranian authorities to resolve this.”

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He noted that Iranian vessels, both oil tankers and merchant ships, are commuting under normal conditions in international waters despite some difficulties.

Referring to the US’ anti-Iran maritime initiative in the Persian Gulf, Eslami said that in Iran’s view the coalition is a self-defeating once since no country except the Zionist regime has joined it.

Relations between Iran and the UK soured after an Iran-operated oil tanker, Grace 1, was illegally detained by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar on July 4, on accusations that the tanker was carrying oil to Syria in possible violation of the European Union’s sanctions on the Arab country. Iran condemned the move as “piracy” and called for the immediate release of the tanker, stressing that the tanker was not headed to Syria.

A few days later, on July 19, Tehran impounded a British-flagged ship, Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz for failing to stop after hitting an Iranian fishing boat, a violation of international maritime rules.

Washington has developed a plan to create a military coalition to escort foreign vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in the strategic Persian Gulf. However, key Washington allies Germany and Japan have refused to join, and France has expressed reservations about the US’ provocative initiative.

On August 6, Israeli regime’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that they will be part of the US-led anti-Iran coalition. Iran reacted to the announcement, warning that Washington and Tel Aviv would be responsible for the consequences of such a decision.

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In June, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that they had downed a US Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk spy drone after it had violated Iranian airspace. Despite US claims that the drone had been flying over international waters, Iran said it has retrieved sections of drone in its own territorial waters where it was shot down.

The UK-flagged Stena Impero was captured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on July 19 for violating international maritime laws when crossing the high-traffic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

Iranian officials say the vessel had switched off its GPS locator, in contravention of international regulations, and was sailing into the strategic waterway in a wrong traffic pattern.

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Upon the request of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, IRGC seized British-flagged Stena Impero on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz since the vessel had switched off its transponder and moving in the wrong direction, increasing the risk of collision with other ships.

Iranian Armed Forces are capable of producing state-of-the-art radar systems and smart weapons, he said, highlighting that the downing of the intruding US drone displayed a small portion of Iranian forces’ vigilance and readiness.

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“Only prudence and foresight can thwart such ploys,” he underlined.

The Iranian minister was referring to the detention of a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, which had violated international regulations, and even it was a threat to the environment in the event of a collision with other vessels in the region with its transponder switched off.

Iranian ambassador to London, Hamid Baeidinejad, has also called on the UK government to contain those domestic political forces who want to escalate existing tension between Iran and the UK over the tanker incident.

“UK government should contain those domestic political forces who want to escalate existing tension between Iran and the UK well beyond the issue of ships,” wrote Iranian ambassador to London, Hamid Baeidinejad, in a tweet on Sunday.

His tweet was also in reaction to certain speculations that the UK was reportedly considering imposing sanctions on Iran in response to the tanker seizure.

“This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region,” said Baeidinjad, adding, “Iran however is firm and ready for different scenarios.”

Meanwhile, during a phone conversation between Iranian and British foreign ministers on Saturday, Iran’s Zarif reiterated that unlike the UK’s unlawful seizure of the vessel carrying Iran’s oil, the Islamic Republic’s move was carried out upon the request of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran given the vessel’s violation of regulations.

Zarif noted that the case must be pursued through judicial and legal channels.

Zarif and Hunt also highlighted the importance of finding lawful solutions and avoiding heightened tensions.

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He was referring to the detention of a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, which is said to have been in breach of international regulations, and even a threat to the environment in the event of a collision with other vessels in the region with its transponder switched off.

His tweet was also in reaction to certain speculations that the UK was reportedly considering imposing sanctions on Iran in response to the tanker seizure.

“This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region,” said Baeidinjad, adding, “Iran however is firm and ready for different scenarios.”

Meanwhile, during a phone conversation between Iranian and British foreign ministers on Saturday, Iran’s Zarif reiterated that unlike the UK’s unlawful seizure of the vessel carrying Iran’s oil, the Islamic Republic’s move was carried out upon the request of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran given the vessel’s violation of regulations.

Zarif noted that the case must be pursued through judicial and legal channels.

Zarif and Hunt also highlighted the importance of finding lawful solutions and avoiding heightened tensions.

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The remark came as MP Hosseinali Haji Deligani criticized the Parliament for not issuing a statement in support of IRGC’s measure. “We expected that the Parliament would talk about the honorable measure of IRGC and Navy in seizing the English oil tanker.”

IRGC confiscated British-flagged oil tanker ‘Stena Impero’ on Friday over violation of international maritime rules.

The IRGC spokesman, Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said on Saturday that the British oil tanker was being escorted by the British Royal Navy and it was seized after ignoring international maritime regulations by sailing into the Strait of Hormuz in the wrong direction, increasing the risk of collision with other vessels.

British tanker was confiscated by the Revolutionary Guards at the request of the southern province of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization, he said, adding that the tanker had switched off its transponder in violations of international maritime regulations, using the exit lane to enter into the Strait of Hormuz instead of moving towards the entrance of the Persian Gulf, increasing the risk of accident.

Earlier on Saturday, Allah-Morad Afifipoor, head of Ports and Maritime Organization in southern Hormozgan Province, said the 30,000-tonne UK-flagged Stena Impero tanker had “collided with a fishing boat on its route and, according to law, after an accident, it is necessary that the causes be investigated.”

Following the collision, those on board the fishing boat “contacted the British vessel but didn’t receive any response,” so they informed the Hormozgan maritime organization, “according to the legal procedures,” he added.

This seizure came as British Royal Marines in Gibraltar stormed the Iran-operated 300,000-tonne Grace 1 and detained it on July 4, accusing it of carrying oil to Syria in possible violation of the European Union’s sanctions on the Arab country. Iran condemned the move as “piracy” and summoned Britain’s ambassador in protest over it, highlighting that neither the tanker was headed to Syria, nor Iran is a member an EU member and subject to any European oil embargo.

“Unlike the piracy in the Strait of Gibraltar, our action in the Persian Gulf is to uphold international maritime rules,” wrote Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in a tweet on Saturday.

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The IRGC spokesman added the British tanker was confiscated by the Revolutionary Guards at the request of southern province of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization.

Sharif also noted that the tanker had switched off its GPS tracker in violations of international maritime regulations, using the exit lane to enter into the Strait of Hormuz instead of moving towards the entrance of the Persian Gulf, increasing the risk of accident.

He added that a British warship tried to prevent the IRGC forces to carry out their mission with flying two helicopters, but later failed to do so as a result of the decisiveness and agility of the IRGC rangers.

The spokesman also underlined that the vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz need to precisely observe international regulations to guarantee the security and peace in the strategic waterway.

Sharif further noted that the IRGC, along with other armed forces, on behalf of the Iranian nation, will act decisively in carrying out current international laws and exercising national sovereignty over territorial waters in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

He added that the Iranian armed forces will not allow anyone to endanger the Iranian national interests as well as the security of the region.

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In a statement on Friday, the IRGC said that the vessel named “Stena Impero” had been captured “at the request of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organization when passing through the Strait of Hormuz, for failing to respect international maritime rules.” The oil tanker was transferred to the coast to undergo the required legal proceedings, the statement added.

An unnamed Iranian maritime official said the ship had breached international maritime regulations by passing through a prohibited maritime passage in the Strait, turning off its tracking signals and ignoring warnings issued by Iranian authorities. “The tanker had turned off its tracker and ignored several warnings by the IRGC before being impounded,” the source said.

On July 4, British Royal Marines in Gibraltar stormed the Iran-operated 300,000-tonne Grace 1 and detained it, accusing it of carrying oil to Syria in possible violation of the European Union’s sanctions on the Arab country. Iran condemned the move as “piracy” and summoned Britain’s ambassador in protest over it.

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