Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the escalating oil tanker war that is playing out between the UK and Iran.
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Oil Tanker War Between UK And Iran Reaches Dangerous Level by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 238. The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the escalating oil tanker war that is playing out between the UK and Iran.
Via Zerohedge…
Amid ongoing “tanker wars” following the UK’s unprecedented and aggressive seizure of a super tanker transporting Iranian oil to Syria last week, which led to an alleged thwarted counter-attempt of Iran’s IRGC to block a UK-flagged tanker in the Persian Gulf Wednesday, Britain says it plans to send a second warship to the region.
Currently the HMS Montrose is shadowing the BP-owned British Heritage tanker after it was approached by IRGC boats — this as Britain raised its threat level to British shipping in the gulf area to its highest. Per government statements, the HMS Duncan, a type 45 Destroyer, will be deployed alongside the HMS Montrose in the region for a short period.
“We are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region,” a Downing Street spokesman had said Wednesday of the dangerous encounter with Iran’s military in the gulf earlier that day.
And on Thursday a separate UK official stated: “As part of our long-standing presence in the Gulf, HMS Duncan is deploying to the region to ensure we maintain a continuous maritime security presence while HMS Montrose comes off task for pre-planned maintenance and crew changeover,” according to the BBC.
“This will ensure that the UK, alongside international partners, can continue to support freedom of navigation for vessels transiting through this vital shipping lane.” At the moment the HMS Duncan is in Mediterranean waters.
The Pentagon also this week described plans to work with allies to provide military escorts to ships traversing waters near Iran, as concerns grow that any major incident would threaten global oil supplies, which would no doubt send prices soaring.
Already other international ships are reportedly waiting for military escorts prior to entering the Strait of Hormuz, as Bloomberg describes in a breaking report:
VLCC Atlantic Pioneer, an Isle of Man-flagged tanker, sailed near Ras Tanura port in Saudi Arabia, turned away without loading any cargo and is now headed toward the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg ship-tracking data shows.
The vessel is expected to wait for an escort from British naval ship HMS Montrose before sailing through the waterway, data intelligence firm Kpler SAS says in note released Friday.
Meanwhile Iran has continued to point the finger at Washington for the soaring tensions and growing “tanker war” after accusing the UK of detaining its some 1 million barrels of oil aboard a Panamanian-flagged vessel “at the behest of” the US government “in line with America’s hostile policies”.
Foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said: “This is a dangerous game and we advise them not get involved in this game under America’s influence.”
“We ask them again to release the tanker immediately, which will be in all countries’ interest,” he added.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The intent here is fairly obvious. First they fake some attacks on ships in the Gulf. Then they detain an Iranian oil tanker in the Med under fake Syrian sanctions. Then they detain one on the Suez Canal. Then they use a fake threat against a British ship to justify sending more US and allies ships to the Gulf. The next step is to slowly increase the number of seized Iranian tankers – and eventually stop all Iranian oil shipments out of the Gulf – which is a stated US goal articulated – if that’s a word one can use… Read more »
Sort of like a Skripals at Sea Scenario.
Just like with the UK’s transparent hijinks, see if you can say that ten times fast without tripping over yourself and breaking out laughing.
Oh, curses on you and a woe to me.
And here I thought you’d never track me to the sea.
And if America Loses. Iran isn’t so naive as to forget it’s past. The Ayatolas will pull rank and even if America and the West irradiate the sands, the Iranians won’t die easy. If America is forced into a ground war (which it will) they will have Iran, Syria and possibly Russia and the Kurds Against them. They will suffer not so much a Veitnam as a true defeat they will effectively bankrupt themselves to avarice they never knew. The only victory they can begin to sustain in an absolute one and that is a price not even America can… Read more »
Absolutely correct. Iran is to be the next war waged by the Jewnited States for the Greater Israel project.
More American blood and treasure converted into shekels and regional hegemony for the Zionist regime.
Get those body-bags ready Uncle Moses….umm Uncle Tom…erm… I mean Uncle Sam.
Russia and China could send ships to escort Russian and Chinese tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to Iranian ports to on-load, and then escort them out to their destinations. What are the chances uk or us ships will try and stop them? The Russian and Chinese Captains can inform us navy that ANY interference, they will be fired upon.
Couldn’t agree more. That’s the only way this nonsense is going to cease.
As usual, the U.K. bluff was all too transparent and the U.K. now wants to double down by sending more warships to the gulf where it has no standing to enforce anything. But it means the US wants to use the U.K. now to control the mid eastern oil after Dunford’s efforts to recruit mid eastern allies for that purpose failed. That whole approach by the US and U.K. really only increase the mistake rather than to correct it. It is becoming clear now that the attacks on the tankers were orchestrated by the US as an excuse to take… Read more »
Mercouris’ analysis appears pretty farfetched. UK realized belatedly that seizing Iran’s tanker was a mistake and reacted to what one Iranian hardliner suggested that Iran should now seize a British tanker, knowing full well that was not official Iranian policy, as a means to cover up its blunder. It is not even clear how many Iranian boats were trying to stop the British oil ship. Which indicates that this entire incident was invented and that – not unlike the Skripal fiasco – Britain now pretends to dangers that don’t exist, in the process making things worse rather than better. Ironically… Read more »
“We are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region,” a Downing Street spokesman had said”
Maybe somone should remind this Downing Street spoksmen how this all started in the first place? Whit this statment they are only embaressing themselvs in front of the whole world.
I just wish that Russia or anyone else would please face down and rid us Brits of those grotesque Tories like Hunt and Johnson. They are the epitome of tape worms disguised as Human Beings. Just like their mate in the media and banks, and not to forget our lovely Lawyers.