Iranians seize British tanker- so whatcha gonna do?

[SteveG]

I have no idea of what the Iranians are trying to accomplish here. Any suggestions?

Iran claims to have seized British oil tanker in the strait of Hormuz
source: The Guardian (and others of your choice)

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they seized the Stena Impero after the British oil tanker veered into Iranian waters en route to Saudi Arabia.

The ship’s owners issued a statement saying it had been ‘approached by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter during transit of the Strait of Hormuz while the vessel was in international waters.’

‘We are presently unable to contact the vessel which is now heading north towards Iran,’ the owners, Stena Bulk, and the ship’s managers, Northern Marine, said in the statement.

The UK ministry of defence said it was urgently looking into what had happened to the Stena Impero, a 30,000 tonne British-flagged ship, which was heading for Saudi Arabia when it abruptly left the international sea lanes through the strait of Hormuz and tracking data showed it heading north towards the Iranian island of Qeshm, where the Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has a substantial base.

The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement saying they had seized the Stena Impero, citing international maritime law for their action.

[bfd]

They are hoping to provoke orangeclown… and it shouldn't take much. But it's still a British tanker, and the only one Dumbf likes over there are racists and the Queen. (he's probably hoping for a prominent spot in the will…)

[deckeda]

They need a hostage that’s a friend of the U.S.

[rjmacs]

Where was this tanker's HMS escort?

[bfd]

rjmacs wrote:
Where was this tanker's HMS escort?

Obviously they were busy with other important duties…

[Lemon Drop]

Retaliatory:

Tensions between the UK and Iran flared up earlier this month when Royal Marines seized an Iranian tanker which was suspected of breaking EU sanctions.

The UK suspected Grace 1, detained on 4 July near Gibraltar, was carrying oil bound for Syria.

In response to the seizure, Iran threatened to seize a British oil tanker. which they have now done.

[vision63]

They be the captain now.

[cbelt3]

May Boris have words ?

[SteveG]

Apparently it is now TWO tankers. Stay tuned.

[deckeda]

Wonder if the E.U. will in any way help. I mean, with Britain perched to become all uber sovereignty-like again, maybe they don’t care. Stiff upper lip, chap.