generalspeaking

The Stage is Set

"[Sanctions are meant] to stop Europe from buying Syria’s oil, they are not about another country selling oil to Syria."
"This is a very childish and ridiculous excuse by the British. They should officially announce that we are servants of America and act on behalf of America."
"America has returned their favor well by insulting their ambassador and their prime minister."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif 

"[The timetable for relieving the HMS Montrose, a frigate operating in the Persian Gulf, with the larger HMS Duncan destroyer in the wake of the recent developments has been moved forward]."
"This will ensure that the UK alongside international partners can continue to support freedom of navigation for vessels transiting through this vital shipping lane."
British Ministry of Defense 

A file photo of the HMS Duncan, a Type 45 Destroyer, which will relieve HMS Montrose in the Persian Gulf as Iran threatens to disrupt shipping (Ben Sutton/UK Ministry of Defence via AP)

"[The British naval escort, HMS Montrose] was forced to position herself between the Iranian vessels [and the ship]."
"[The navy ship issued] verbal warnings to the Iranian vessels, which then turned away."
"We are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region."
British government statement

"There was an attempt -- it appears to be that there was an attempt -- by some small naval vessels to take over a commercial vessel."
"The British had a military escort, and that took care of the situation ... Having said that, the freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle and a norm for the international order that has been in place now for seven decades, and we play a crucial role to enforce that norm."
U.S. Army General Mark Milley

"The enemy is going to regret this act."
"They would not have done it if they had done the minimum calculation."
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, deputy Revolutionary Guard commander

So the Islamic Republic of Iran is outraged; they did no such thing as dispatch their naval forces to challenge the tanker British Heritage approaching the northern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, an Isle of Man-flagged tanker operated by the oil and gas company BP (British Petroleum), based in London. There had been no confrontation whatsoever with foreign vessels in the past 24 hours, according to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Strangely enough, an American aircraft flying overhead had captured footage of the Iranian ships interacting with the British vessels, the oil tanker and its naval escort, HMS Montrose. Iran had, with its usual bombast, threatened retaliation from the apprehension of its supertanker in the Mediterranean Sea with its oil cargo headed in a circuitous route toward the Syrian coast.

The Grace 1 super tanker in the British territory of Gibraltar, July 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

Gibraltar authorities took steps to halt the vessel clearly bringing oil to the Syrian refinery at Banias, in violation of European Union sanctions. Its misfortune was that it approached the British territory of Gibraltar, where in Iran's words "an act of piracy" took place. Britain was attempting to "increase tensions" with its claims that the British Heritage faced a restraint to passing through the strait. Its claims utterly "worthless", according to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.


"Economic terrorism" against Iran was clearly at play in the seizure of the Iranian vessel; instigated by a U.S.-led campaign. And so, little wonder that the British Heritage steaming through the Gulf of Oman encountered a 'misunderstanding'. A reminder that despite authorization allowing "specified ships" suspected of violating EU sanctions to be detained, this is a game that the targets can also plan to their own advantage.

Gibraltar authorities arrested the captain and chief officer of Grace 1 on suspicion of breaching the sanctions, according to a spokesperson from the Royal Gibraltar police, with documents and electronic devices seized as well. A "political demonstration", according to Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Iran, of the Republic overplaying its sanctions-weakened hand.

All of these actions feed into apprehension of a trigger leading to a wider conflict as a result of too many mysterious provocations ranging from oil tanker attacks near the Strait of Hormuz that Iran is blamed for, along with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launching attacks on Saudi Arabia, capped off by the downing of a U.S. military drone in international airspace that Iran claimed to have been justifiably shot down within Iran's air space.

Thousands of troops, an aircraft carrier, nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and advanced fighter jets have been sent by the United States to the Middle East. A warning exercise, or a warm-up exercise?  Time has a habit of eventually revealing what has been suspected is what finally eventuates.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says goodbye to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on June 24, 2019, after meeting with Saudi leaders as part of an effort to build a “global coalition” against Iran. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

Labels: Britain, Gulf of Oman, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republican Guard Corps, Strait of Hormuz, Tensions, United States

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, July 13, 2019