Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday vowed that his country will retaliate over the seizure of Iranian tanker Grace 1 by Britain off the coast of Gibraltar.
Ayatollah Khamenei said in a speech in Tehran: “The vicious British… have committed piracy and stolen our ship… God willing, the Islamic Republic will not leave these vicious acts unanswered”.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Saturday that Britain will facilitate the release the ship if Iran can provide guarantees the vessel will not breach European sanctions on oil shipments to Syria.
Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks came amid concerns over the whereabouts of a United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil tanker which has been missing since the weekend after sailing through the Strait of Hormuz and into Iranian waters.
Tensions have soared in the Persian Gulf over the past few months, which have seen the US send thousands of additional troops, nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and advanced fighter jets into the region.
