US unveils warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar dispute
Source: The Guardian
The US justice department has issued a warrant for the seizure of the Iranian oil tanker at the centre of a weeks-long diplomatic dispute, just a day after a Gibraltar judge allowed the release of the detained vessel.
The move by Washington marks a significant escalation in its efforts to tighten economic sanctions against Iran, trying to detain a tanker that Gibraltar had said was no longer impounded under EU sanctions.
...
Authorities in Gibraltar with the backing of the British had said the vessel was heading for Syria in breach of EU sanctions barring the sale of oil to the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Gibraltar agreed to release the tanker after Tehran promised that its $140m (£115m) cargo would no longer be transported to Syria.
The United States has called for the seizure of the ship, which was still anchored in Gibraltar, for a scheme to unlawfully access the US financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organisation, the justice department said.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/16/iran-oil-tanker-us-uk-gibraltar-warrant
This is a new move, not the attempt on Thursday ("A last-minute legal attempt by the US to keep the tanker detained was rejected by Gibraltar on Thursday"
Botany
(70,291 posts)BTW since when do we get to tell Iran what to do with their oil?
BTW part 2 follow the money.
Trump's Oil Sanctions Leave Russian Exporters $1 Billion Richer
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142355683
proActivist
(75 posts)to develop a nuclear bomb.
Botany
(70,291 posts)We had a deal that made it impossible for Iran to make a nuclear weapon
but Trump scrapped that deal.
proActivist
(75 posts)Nope. It was the result of a multi national sanctions regime and direct action, including destructive cyber attacks and assassinations.
All justified by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weaponry.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)EX500rider
(10,531 posts)Since the UN enacted sanctions against the Syrian regime that include a ban on oil imports. Iran was sending oil there against the sanctions.
soryang
(3,299 posts)The UK seizure action was alleged to be based on EU sanctions. But there really wasn't any intent to apply the sanctions outside EU jurisdiction. The UK just went off on a lark of its own.
EX500rider
(10,531 posts)So many UN ones I don't want to read them all. Although most seem about calling for a cessation of hostilities and a grant for access to humanitarian workers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_resolutions_concerning_Syria
soryang
(3,299 posts)Actually, there is a right of safe passage in the straits. Again there was no intention in EU sanctions to apply them to parties outside the EU.
Crowman2009
(2,478 posts)Hypocrisy much?
proActivist
(75 posts)That isn't hypocrisy, that's reality.
Read Hobbes.
Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)it says here: https://apnews.com/8cd11470b3344d02ab86ecdd2de4bdc3
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,154 posts)Submariner
(12,485 posts)will the tanker try to ram and sink the destroyer/cruiser? Probably aim to, but the much faster and more maneuverable warship will be able to nimbly get out of the way.
This may be the orange shitstains prelude to his wag the dog war.
hack89
(39,171 posts)ancianita
(35,812 posts)Eugene
(61,595 posts)Source: Associated Press
By ARITZ PARRA and HERNAN MUÑOZ
August 17, 2019
GIBRALTAR (AP) The shipping agent for an Iranian supertanker caught in a diplomatic standoff says the vessel is ready to depart Gibraltar on Sunday or Monday, as the U.S. made a last-minute effort to seize it again.
The head of the company sorting paperwork and procuring for the Grace 1 oil tanker in the British overseas territory said the vessel could be sailing away in the next 24 to 48 hours, once new crews dispatched to the territory take over command of the ship.
The vessel is ongoing some logistical changes and requirements that have delayed the departure, Astralship managing director Richard De la Rosa told The Associated Press.
De la Rosas comments came a day after the U.S. obtained a warrant to seize the vessel over violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran. It was unclear if that could happen within a 24-hour time frame as Gibraltar officials have said any request to seize the vessel would have to make its way through the territorys courts.
He said the new crews were Indian and Ukrainian nationals hired by the Indian managers of the ship and that his company had not been informed about the supertankers next destination.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/8cd11470b3344d02ab86ecdd2de4bdc3
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,103 posts)Looks like Cadet Bonespurs won't ne able to get his war on... ..yet.
crazytown
(7,277 posts)How about unsealing the Deed to Gibraltar that Boris sold to you yesterday?
Eugene
(61,595 posts)Source: Reuters
Grace 1 tanker raises Iranian flag, changes name to 'Adrian Darya-1'
GIBRALTAR (Reuters) - An Iranian tanker caught in a stand-off between Tehran and the West has raised an Iranian flag and has had a new name painted on its side, Reuters images of the stationary vessel filmed off Gibraltar showed on Sunday.
British Royal Marines seized the vessel in Gibraltar in July on suspicion that it was carrying oil to Syria, a close ally of Iran, in violation of European Union sanctions.
Video footage and photographs showed the tanker flying the red, green and white flag of Iran and bearing the new name of Adrian Darya-1 painted in white on its hull. Its previous name, Grace 1, had been painted over. The vessels anchor was still down.
The Grace 1 had originally flown the Panamian flag but Panamas Maritime Authority said in July that the vessel had been de-listed after an alert that indicated the ship had participated in or was linked to terrorism financing.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-tanker-gibraltar/grace-1-tanker-raises-iranian-flag-changes-name-to-adrian-darya-1-idUSKCN1V80A5
muriel_volestrangler
(101,154 posts)...
Gibraltar said it could not comply with Washington's request to issue a new detention order because US sanctions against Iran did not apply in the EU.
...
Gibraltar, in a statement on Sunday, said it could not comply with the request. It said: "The EU sanctions regime against Iran - which is applicable in Gibraltar - is much narrower than that applicable in the US."
There has been no response yet from Washington.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49389592
Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)still at anchor in waters claimed by Gibraltar, while on its way out through the strait. I happened to be checking marinetraffic.com and made an image:
Eugene
(61,595 posts)Source: The Guardian and agencies
Shipping data show vessel moving as territory rejects final US request to hold it longer
Dan Sabbagh and agencies
Mon 19 Aug 2019 01.18 BST First published on Sun 18 Aug 2019 15.36 BST
The Iranian supertanker at the centre of a diplomatic row between Britain and Iran left Gibraltar on Sunday night, according to shipping data.
The marine traffic monitoring site Refinitiv showed the vessel moving away from the British territory, where it had been held for six weeks.
The news came hours after Gibraltar rejected a final US request to detain the oil tanker Grace 1 now renamed by Iran as Adrian Darya 1 any longer. Filled with 2.1m barrels of oil, the ships cargo is worth an estimated $140m (£115m).
Royal Marines first seized the vessel off the shores of Gibraltar on 4 July, saying that it was carrying oil bound for Syria in breach of EU sanctions.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/18/iran-tanker-at-centre-of-diplomatic-row-set-to-leave-gibraltar