LAST UPDATE: 12:29
The latest developments in the thriller off the Persian Gulf, where two Greek ships are under occupation by Iranian military forces, are positive.
According to ERT, the 9 Greek sailors and one Cypriot, as well as the other members of the crews, are not in custody, as announced by the Iranian authorities and remain on the ships, while now the communication of the Ministry of Shipping has been fully restored and of the two ship-owning companies with the tankers Delta Poseidon and Prudent Warrior, which were seized on Friday by the Revolutionary Guards.
“The crew of the two Greek tankers has not been arrested and all the crew members… They are in good health and are being protected and provided with the necessary services while on board, in accordance with international law,” the state Ports and Shipping Agency said. of Iran in a statement transmitted by the Tasnim agency.
The nine Greeks and one Cypriot sailor, who are on the bridge and in their cabins, have contacted their relatives and are in good health.
This is good news for the New York Times, which quoted an Iranian official as saying that the crews of the two ships had been taken to a hostel on the coast, where they were being held under house arrest.
This fact is considered positive at a time when the diplomatic efforts of the Greek authorities for the release of the crew members are in progress.
Threatens Iran with more ship seizures
Meanwhile, Tehran is threatening much more Greek tanker commitments in the region.
The two ships were seized in retaliation for the seizure by Greece of an oil tanker carrying Iranian oil, at the request of the United States.
However, according to the semi-official Iranian Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, warned that another 17 Greek-flagged tankers currently floating in the Persian Gulf would be seized by Iran if the oil and tanker were seized. Greece last month did not return.
Iran has a history of retaliating against the seizure of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in response to ships carrying its oil that have been blocked or seized. However, the incident with the Greek ships marks the first time in months that ships under a foreign flag are targeted by Iran.
Iranian media reported that the two Greek ships had a total capacity of 1.8 million barrels of oil and that their cargo was now in the possession of Iran.
Plakiotaki statement about the attack against the two ships in the Persian Gulf
” The attack against the two ships under the Greek flag, is a blatant violation of the rules of international law and is equivalent to piracy. The Foreign Ministry has taken a very strong step towards the Iranian ambassador since yesterday, emphasizing that this action strengthens bilateral relations, but also Iran’s relations with the European Union, which was immediately informed.
The crew members of the two ships, according to our latest communication, are in good health.
“In close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are taking all measures to release the sailors and ships,” said in a statement the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Giannis Plakiotakis.
Source: Capital
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