Iran: UK seizure of oil tanker 'won't go unanswered'

By Abdul Jabbar Abu Ras

TEHRAN (AA) – Iran on Tuesday vowed to respond to the seizure of an oil tanker in the Gibraltar by British naval forces "at an appropriate time and place", according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"This measure will not go unanswered, and if necessary, the response to such a shameful move will be put on the agenda, at an appropriate time and place," Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.

The British government said the oil tanker was believed to be carrying two million barrels of crude oil to Syria, in breach of EU sanctions against the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Baqeri, however, said the U.K. Navy captured the tanker last week in revenge for the "direct, transparent and courageous” action by the Iranian military forces to shoot down a U.S. spy drone in June.

Iran has denounced the ship seizure as "piracy" and summoned the British envoy in Tehran to protest the action, denying claims that the tanker was bound to Syria.