Greece\u2019s shipping ministry has advised the country\u2019s ships to avoid Iranian territorial waters when crossing the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman after Iran warned that it could follow Friday\u2019s seizure of two Greek-flagged tankers.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) detained two Greek-flagged suezmax tankers, Delta Poseidon<\/em> and Prudent Warrior<\/em>, in the Persian Gulf last week<\/a><\/span> and, shortly after, relayed through Tasnim News Agency that 17 other Greek tankers were in the Gulf waters and could be seized<\/a><\/span> if \u201cGreece continued its games\u201d, referring to Athens\u2019 seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker, Lana<\/em>, which was carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil.<\/p>\n Greece strongly condemned Iran\u2019s actions and called for the immediate release of the vessels and their crews, saying these acts would have a \u201cparticularly negative impact on bilateral relations and Iran\u2019s relations with the EU\u201d. Meanwhile, the EU and the US also denounced the \u201cunjustified seizure\u201d of two Greek-flagged vessels.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe attack on the two ships under the Greek flag is a clear violation of the rules of international law and is equivalent to piracy,\u201d said yesterday the minister of shipping and island policy,\u201d Giannis Plakiotakis.<\/p>\n Maritime security firm Dryad Global also warned yesterday that Greek-flagged and Greek-owned vessels as well as vessels carrying Greek cargo that are operating within the vicinity of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are currently assessed to be at a heightened risk of interception.<\/p>\n Per ministry sources, the Prudent Warrior<\/em> was yesterday anchored in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, while the Delta Poseidon<\/em> remained at the same location in the Persian Gulf. The Delta Poseidon<\/em> has a crew of 25, including two Greeks, and the Prudent Warrior<\/em> has a crew of 23, including eight Greeks and a Cypriot.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s state media has released a video showing the IRGC\u2019s heliborne special forces boarding the Greek ships ahead of their seizure over as yet unspecified maritime violations. The video also has other footage, including the seizure of the UK-flagged Stena Impero<\/em><\/a><\/span> in July 2019.<\/p>\n