British Royal Marines seized an oil tanker in Gibraltar on Thursday, they suspected the tanker was headed to Syria which would be a violation of U.S. and EU sanctions. The Grace 1 oil tanker was believed to have started its journey in Iran.
"That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria," Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said. "With my consent, our port and law enforcement agencies sought the assistance of the Royal Marines in carrying out this operation."
Acting Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said the British detained the tanker at the request of the U.S.
About 30 Royal Marines boarded the tanker, some descended down on ropes from a helicopter, others came alongside the tanker in a speedboat.
The U.S. and EU have imposed a series of sanctions against the Syrian government, resulting in an acute fuel shortage this past winter. Syrians struggled to heat their homes, the Assad government had to set up oil rationing and any country that tried to relieve them of the shortage was threatened with U.S. sanctions.
The Syrian fuel shortages began when Iran froze their credit for oil last October, citing the Islamic Republic’s own problems due to U.S. sanctions.
Dave DeCamp is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn NY, focusing on US Foreign policy and wars. He is on Twitter at @decampdave.
US and EU sanctions are illegal….therefore no violation.
All US unilateral sanctions are illegal under international law.
Headline should read: “armed pirates seize tanker”. Sanctioned by sociopaths in DC and Brussels.
The Syrian people are going to suffer without oil. This after all pain the Western nations have inflicted on the Syrians. Horrible.
The Trump administration only sanctions the people of Syria because they care about the people of Syria. Same with Iran. No new wars but plenty of new suffering. Thank you Donald for making the entire world great again, not just America.
Since the false flag 9/11 the British government has ordered Britain’s elite and special forces do things that have tarnished their reputations, and for me our paras, marines and SAS no longer draw a “Wow!” reaction but a “Why?”.
I wouldn’t want to be on a tanker in the Gult today. I suspect trouble, tit for tat away we go to war
I suspect you’re right!
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9442987/iran-vows-to-seize-a-british-tanker/?fbclid=IwAR3m4XFEaofSu2S0qeYr_qn5F72Cp6UYJwNgo1c53vwaI3VjdbPZkKzuo_8
The tanker seizure got the headlines. But Syrian pipelines used to load oil onto tankers were also attacked.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/mysterious-blasts-off-syria-s-coast-disrupt-iran-oil-delivery-1.882582
It’s obvious who the world’s real terrorists are.
This is beyond a joke. As well as pandering to the USA trying to extradite (and murder) Julian Assange, the leaderless UK now supports the bully’s illegal “sanctions” trying to destroy a whole sovereign nation of over 80 million people. Why is the UK such a pathetic puppet?
As for the EU, it put in place sanctions eg against Russia, which did not hurt the USA at all but were very seriously destructive to EU farmers and businesses. All pandering to the USA,which is the one at fault. Cowardice.
“”That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria,” Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.”
Bitch, your whole “entity” of Gibraltar is the subject of British conquest. Get off your high horse, you glorified limey quisling.
Why is the US so desperate, stocks and employment at all time highs, totally the lions share of the worlds resources, what do we want more, what is the problem? Here we are sanctioning everyone and his brother, wanting to build walls to hide behind,even tormenting and trying to start a war with Iran that could easily turn into a war with Russia and China involved. We have got to be out of our ever loving minds. Live and let live America, stop the killing, bring the troops home, wake up.