Crown Prince attends Saudi Cup horse race in Riyadh    Bergwijn, Benzema lead Al-Ittihad to dominant 4-1 Clasico win over Al-Hilal    Saudi U-20 team secures spot in 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup with last-minute winner over China    Saudi Media Forum concludes with key industry partnerships and award recognitions    Hamas hands over six Israeli captives in latest prisoner exchange    US and Ukraine near deal granting US mineral rights in exchange for military aid    Israeli forensic institute confirms remains of hostage Shiri Bibas    Australia presses China for answers over reported live-fire exercises near its coast    PIF seeks to expand US investments despite restrictions, says governor Al-Rumayyan Saudi sovereign fund launched 103 companies across 13 sectors, aims to attract more foreign talent to Saudi Arabia    Saudi minister holds high-level talks at FII Miami to boost AI, tech, and space partnerships    Al-Ettifaq stuns Al-Nassr with late winner as Ronaldo protests refereeing decisions    King Salman: Our nation's path has remained steadfast since its founding    Imam Mohammed bin Saud: The founder of the First Saudi State and architect of stability    King Abdul Aziz: Founder of the Third Saudi State and leader of modern Saudi Arabia    'Neighbors' canceled again, two years after revival    Al-Tuwaijri: Not a single day has passed in Saudi Arabia in 9 years without an achievement Media professionals urged to innovate in disseminating Kingdom's story to the world    Proper diet and healthy eating key to enjoying Ramadan fast    Saudi Media Forum panel highlights Kingdom's vision beyond 2034 World Cup    AlUla Arts Festival 2025 wraps up with a vibrant closing weekend    'Real life Squid Game': Kim Sae-ron's death exposes Korea's celebrity culture    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Iran says will not tolerate 'maritime offenses' in Gulf
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 05 - 08 - 2019

Iran runs security in the Strait of Hormuz and will no longer tolerate "maritime offenses" there, its foreign minister said on Monday, a day after it seized a second oil tanker near the strategic waterway that it accused of smuggling fuel.
Tanker traffic through the Strait has become a focus for an increasingly tense standoff between Washington and Tehran, into which Britain has also been dragged, and the United States has beefed up its military presence in the Gulf since May.
On Sunday, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps seized the Iraqi tanker north of the Strait and detained its seven crew, state media reported. Guards commander Ramezan Zirahi was quoted as saying it was carrying 700,000 liters of fuel .
"Iran used to forgo some maritime offenses in ... (the) Gulf but will never close (its) eyes anymore," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a televised news conference in Tehran.
"... Iran is responsible for the security and safety of the Strait of Hormuz and the region."
Iran has threatened to block all exports via the Strait, through which a fifth of global oil traffic passes, if other countries comply with US pressure to stop buying Iranian oil.
Zarif criticized US sanctions imposed on him on Wednesday, saying Washington had closed the door to diplomacy over Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, which US President Donald Trump exited last year.
The deal with a handful of global powers had curbed Tehran's nuclear work in return for an easing of sanctions, striking a delicate political balance that the US pullout has destabilized.
Strains between Washington and Tehran have heightened further since the spring. In June, Iran's downing of a US drone prompted preparations for a US retaliatory air strike that Trump called off at the last minute.
Angered by intensified US sanctions designed to strangle its vital oil trade and the failure of European parties to agree on a way of salvaging the nuclear agreement, Tehran has scaled back its commitments under the pact.
"Iran will leave its 2015 nuclear deal with powers if necessary," Zarif said on Monday, adding that all measures taken by Iran were however "reversible if its interests under the deal are secured."
Iran has so far rejected calls by the Trump administration to negotiate a new deal.
He also labelled as "piracy" the seizure by Britain in July of an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar that London accused of violating sanctions on Syria.
Two weeks later, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized a British tanker, Stena Impero, near the Strait of Hormuz for alleged marine violations.
"Britain has been complicit in the US economic terrorism against Iran," Zarif said. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.