The British Royal Marines has seized an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar which was taking oil to Syria, as it violated the European Union (E.U.) sanctions.
The British Royal Marines is a light infantry and one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. As a highly specialised and adaptable light infantry force, the Royal Marines are trained for rapid deployment worldwide and are capable of dealing with a wide range of threats. The Corps are trained to operate amphibious warfare, arctic warfare, mountain warfare and expeditionary warfare.
The Grace 1 tanker was stopped at British Overseas Territory and headland, on Spain’s south coast. It was sailing around Africa, the long route from the Middle East to the Mediterranean. The 300,000-tonne tanker is registered as being managed by Singapore-based IShips Management Pte Ltd. As per documents, it was loading fuel oil in the Iraqi Port of Basra in December 2018, though Basra did not list it as being in Port and its tracking system was switched off. The tanker reappeared fully loaded, on tracking maps near Iran’s Port of Bandar Assalyeh.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar – Fabian Picardo said, “With my consent, our port and law enforcement agencies sought the assistance of the Royal Marines in carrying out this operation.”
For the records, Europe had banned all oil shipments to Syria since 2011 but has never seized a tanker at sea.
Reacting sharply, the Foreign Ministry of Iran has raised objections and has termed the detention of the tanker as illegal. It has also summoned the British ambassador to express their displeasure over the entire issue.
Hailing the British Royal Marines, the National Security Advisor of the United States (U.S.) – John Bolton said, “America & our allies will continue to prevent regimes in Tehran & Damascus from profiting off this illicit trade.”
Till now, the Europe had avoided getting directly involved between the U.S.-Iran tensions. But with the recent detention, it is seriously going to impact Iran’s ties with Europe. In addition, Spain, which has always challenged British’s ownership of Gibraltar, said that the detention is done at the behest of the U.S.
Spain and Britain share a long history with regards to Gibraltar. The town of Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located at the Southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered to the North by Spain. It’s dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 426m-high limestone ridge.
In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces had captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of the Habsburg. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During World War II, it was an important base for the Royal Navy as it controlled the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, which is only 8 miles (13 kms.) wide at this naval choke point.
