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Iran Calls on Britain to Release Seized Iranian Oil Tanker

VOANews

   VOA Persian's Katherine Ahn contributed to this report.

   Iran is demanding that Britain release an Iranian oil tanker seized
   last week off the coast of Gibraltar and accused Britain of playing a
   "dangerous game" in the Persian Gulf region.

   Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told state news agency
   IRNA on Friday the seizure of the tanker "has consequences" and that
   Britain's "legal pretexts for the capture are not valid."

   Mousavi's remarks came two days after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
   also warned Wednesday that Britain would face unspecified
   "consequences" for the seizure of the vessel on suspicion of
   transporting oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.

   Tensions in the region further escalated Thursday when Britain said
   Iranian three military vessels tried to "impede the passage" of a
   British oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz.

   A British government statement said three Iranian vessels were involved
   in the incident, and they backed off when they received a verbal
   warning from a British warship. The government said Friday it would
   deploy the HMS Duncan warship to the Gulf to replace the HMS Montrose,
   which Britain says was forced to fend off the Iranian vessels.
   

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