Tanker rift between the UK and Iran escalates

The tanker rift between the UK and Iran is escalating. Police in Gibraltar have arrested the Indian captain and chief officer of the detained Iranian Grace 1 VLCC accused last week of violating EU sanctions on Syria.

Documents and electronic devices were also seized from the vessel, while Iran has demanded the ship and its crew are freed immediately.

The arrests come after Iranian boats tried to seize a BP Shipping tanker in the Gulf this week.

Iran today called on Britain once again to immediately release the Grace 1 with a foreign ministry spokesman in Tehran saying: “This is a dangerous game and has consequences … the legal pretexts for the capture are not valid … the release of the tanker is in all countries’ interest.”