Moscow, July 22, IRNA - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Iran's logic about seizure of the UK oil tanker is more convincing than what the UK officials and the Gibraltar local government have declared about seizure of supertanker Grace 1.
Speaking to reporters, Sergei Ryabkov said it is evident that the logic offered by Iran over seizure of the UK tanker have been more convincing than the statements made by UK officials and Gibraltar government about EU sanctions on Syria.
Iran's reasoning is to some extent more acceptable than those of UK and Gibraltar who are committing piracy, he said adding that Iran is protecting the environment of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Iran's charge d'affaires to London in a meeting with UK Foreign Office officials underlined the need to respect the International Law of the Sea by the UK.
In the meeting which was held upon the UK demand, Iran's position about the UK tanker's violation of the ILOS was explained and the Iranian diplomat made it clear that Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization enforces measures to protect environment of the territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad said on Sunday: "UK government should contain those domestic political forces who want to escalate existing tension between Iran and the UK well beyond the issue of ships."
"This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region," he added.
"Iran however is firm and ready for different scenarios," Baeidinejad reiterated.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps in a statement on Friday announced seizure of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement said that a British oil tanker named 'Stena Impero' was detained late on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz at the request of Hormuzgan province's Ports and Shipping Organization, for not observing ILOS in the Persian Gulf waterway.
Following seizure, the oil tanker was handed over to the Ports and Shipping Organization to undergo legal proceedings, the statement said.
