US unveils warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar dispute

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

The US justice department has issued a warrant for the seizure of the Iranian oil tanker at the centre of a weeks-long diplomatic dispute, just a day after a Gibraltar judge allowed the release of the detained vessel.

The move by Washington marks a significant escalation in its efforts to tighten economic sanctions against Iran, trying to detain a tanker that Gibraltar had said was no longer impounded under EU sanctions.
...
Authorities in Gibraltar – with the backing of the British – had said the vessel was heading for Syria in breach of EU sanctions barring the sale of oil to the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Gibraltar agreed to release the tanker after Tehran promised that its $140m (£115m) cargo would no longer be transported to Syria.

The United States has called for the seizure of the ship, which was still anchored in Gibraltar, for “a scheme to unlawfully access the US financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organisation”, the justice department said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/16/iran-oil-tanker-us-uk-gibraltar-warrant

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This is a new move, not the attempt on Thursday ("A last-minute legal attempt by the US to keep the tanker detained was rejected by Gibraltar on Thursday&quot

[Botany]

1. Trump wants a war in order to distract from his many crimes.

BTW since when do we get to tell Iran what to do with their oil?

BTW part 2 follow the money.

Trump's Oil Sanctions Leave Russian Exporters $1 Billion Richer

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142355683

[proActivist]

7. When? Ever since they started down the road

to develop a nuclear bomb.

[Botany]

9. Try some knowledge

We had a deal that made it impossible for Iran to make a nuclear weapon
but Trump scrapped that deal.

[proActivist]

11. Sure, and how did we get that deal? Did they just say OK?

Nope. It was the result of a multi national sanctions regime and direct action, including destructive cyber attacks and assassinations.

All justified by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weaponry.

[Scurrilous]

13. LOL

[EX500rider]

15. "BTW since when do we get to tell Iran what to do with their oil?"

Since the UN enacted sanctions against the Syrian regime that include a ban on oil imports. Iran was sending oil there against the sanctions.

[soryang]

17. which UN resolution is it?

The UK seizure action was alleged to be based on EU sanctions. But there really wasn't any intent to apply the sanctions outside EU jurisdiction. The UK just went off on a lark of its own.

[EX500rider]

18. Could have been just Eu sanctions but the port of Gibraltar would count as EU territory.

So many UN ones I don't want to read them all. Although most seem about calling for a cessation of hostilities and a grant for access to humanitarian workers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Nations_resolutions_concerning_Syria

[soryang]

19. right I couldn't find any UN resolutions applicable

Actually, there is a right of safe passage in the straits. Again there was no intention in EU sanctions to apply them to parties outside the EU.

[Crowman2009]

2. So the party all about the sovereignty doesn't want to respect another country's sovereignty?

Hypocrisy much?

[proActivist]

12. No nation state respects the sovereignty of others.

That isn't hypocrisy, that's reality.

Read Hobbes.

[Ghost Dog]

3. The ship is receiving new captain & crew, will sail Sunday

it says here: https://apnews.com/8cd11470b3344d02ab86ecdd2de4bdc3

[Cryptoad]

4. what US court signed the warrant?

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. "US district court for the District of Columbia" (nt)

[Submariner]

5. When a US Navy warship fires across the bow of the Iranian tanker,

will the tanker try to ram and sink the destroyer/cruiser? Probably aim to, but the much faster and more maneuverable warship will be able to nimbly get out of the way.

This may be the orange shitstains prelude to his wag the dog war.

[hack89]

10. We would drop a SEAL team on it. Nt

[ancianita]

8. Anything to become a commander-in-chief in global conflict. Then senators won't dare move.

[Eugene]

14. Iranian tanker to leave Gibraltar soon despite US pressure

Source: Associated Press

Iranian tanker to leave Gibraltar soon despite US pressure

By ARITZ PARRA and HERNAN MUÑOZ
August 17, 2019

GIBRALTAR (AP) — The shipping agent for an Iranian supertanker caught in a diplomatic standoff says the vessel is ready to depart Gibraltar on Sunday or Monday, as the U.S. made a last-minute effort to seize it again.

The head of the company sorting paperwork and procuring for the Grace 1 oil tanker in the British overseas territory said the vessel could be sailing away in the next “24 to 48 hours,” once new crews dispatched to the territory take over command of the ship.

“The vessel is ongoing some logistical changes and requirements that have delayed the departure,” Astralship managing director Richard De la Rosa told The Associated Press.

De la Rosa’s comments came a day after the U.S. obtained a warrant to seize the vessel over violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran. It was unclear if that could happen within a 24-hour time frame as Gibraltar officials have said any request to seize the vessel would have to make its way through the territory’s courts.

He said the new crews were Indian and Ukrainian nationals hired by the Indian managers of the ship and that his company had not been informed about the supertanker’s next destination.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/8cd11470b3344d02ab86ecdd2de4bdc3

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. Bwahahahaha

Looks like Cadet Bonespurs won't ne able to get his war on...…..yet.

[crazytown]

20. That dog won't hunt Donnie

How about unsealing the Deed to Gibraltar that Boris sold to you yesterday?

[Eugene]

21. Grace 1 tanker raises Iranian flag, changes name to 'Adrian Darya-1'

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS AUGUST 18, 2019 / 7:23 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Grace 1 tanker raises Iranian flag, changes name to 'Adrian Darya-1'

GIBRALTAR (Reuters) - An Iranian tanker caught in a stand-off between Tehran and the West has raised an Iranian flag and has had a new name painted on its side, Reuters images of the stationary vessel filmed off Gibraltar showed on Sunday.

British Royal Marines seized the vessel in Gibraltar in July on suspicion that it was carrying oil to Syria, a close ally of Iran, in violation of European Union sanctions.

Video footage and photographs showed the tanker flying the red, green and white flag of Iran and bearing the new name of ‘Adrian Darya-1’ painted in white on its hull. Its previous name, ‘Grace 1’, had been painted over. The vessel’s anchor was still down.

The Grace 1 had originally flown the Panamian flag but Panama’s Maritime Authority said in July that the vessel had been de-listed after an alert that indicated the ship had participated in or was linked to terrorism financing.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-tanker-gibraltar/grace-1-tanker-raises-iranian-flag-changes-name-to-adrian-darya-1-idUSKCN1V80A5

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. Iran tanker row: Gibraltar rejects US request to detain ship

Gibraltar has rejected a request by the US to again seize an Iranian tanker that it has been holding since July on suspicion of transporting oil to Syria.
...
Gibraltar said it could not comply with Washington's request to issue a new detention order because US sanctions against Iran did not apply in the EU.
...
Gibraltar, in a statement on Sunday, said it could not comply with the request. It said: "The EU sanctions regime against Iran - which is applicable in Gibraltar - is much narrower than that applicable in the US."

There has been no response yet from Washington.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49389592

[Ghost Dog]

23. A USN vessel just passed by at around 18:00 GMT without touching Grace 1,

still at anchor in waters claimed by Gibraltar, while on its way out through the strait. I happened to be checking marinetraffic.com and made an image:

[Eugene]

24. Iranian tanker at centre of diplomatic row leaves Gibraltar

Source: The Guardian and agencies

Iranian tanker at centre of diplomatic row leaves Gibraltar

Shipping data show vessel moving as territory rejects final US request to hold it longer

Dan Sabbagh and agencies
Mon 19 Aug 2019 01.18 BST First published on Sun 18 Aug 2019 15.36 BST

The Iranian supertanker at the centre of a diplomatic row between Britain and Iran left Gibraltar on Sunday night, according to shipping data.

The marine traffic monitoring site Refinitiv showed the vessel moving away from the British territory, where it had been held for six weeks.

The news came hours after Gibraltar rejected a final US request to detain the oil tanker Grace 1 – now renamed by Iran as Adrian Darya 1 – any longer. Filled with 2.1m barrels of oil, the ship’s cargo is worth an estimated $140m (£115m).

Royal Marines first seized the vessel off the shores of Gibraltar on 4 July, saying that it was carrying oil bound for Syria in breach of EU sanctions.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/18/iran-tanker-at-centre-of-diplomatic-row-set-to-leave-gibraltar