Iran oil tanker: Gibraltar orders release of Grace 1

Discussion in 'Latest US & World News' started by Sobo, Aug 16, 2019.

  1. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Good, the UK grew a spine and they rebuffed USA attempts to keep it

    Gibraltar has freed an Iranian oil tanker detained last month on suspicion of sanctions-busting, despite a last-minute plea by the US authorities.

    The UK territory received written assurances from Iran that the ship would not discharge its cargo in Syria.

    Grace 1, carrying Iranian oil, was stopped by Royal Marines on 4 July, triggering a standoff with Tehran.

    Gibraltar's chief justice, Anthony Dudley, said no US application was currently before the court.

    An independent legal body would make a determination on the American request, Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said in a statement.

    The tanker remained off Gibraltar early on Thursday evening but, according to witnesses speaking to Reuters news agency, its prow had moved around by at least 180 degrees.

    It was unclear whether this was because of strong sea currents or because it was preparing to leave.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49362182
     
  2. Reality

    Reality Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2014
    Messages:
    21,456
    Likes Received:
    7,605
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The Iranians have been ****ing with the UK and you find them rolling over like they're employed in a whore house to be a strong move from them?

    You're a real character, you know that?
     
  3. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The UK pirated an iranian tanker, did so on US command and did hold the EU infront them like a shield saying Iran violated EU sanctions. The EU under French, spanish and German spokes persons said no EU sanctions were hurt by Iran. Both France and Germany only gave the Uk some warm words and took no action. Even the USA dropped theur poodle and issued no support. Iran made clear from day one if their ship is set free, they will free the UK ship.

    Now the USA tried to push the Uk even more into this ****. Looks like the UK wont do this game any longer and released the iranian ship.

    The UK was shown as US whore when they claimed they did take the iranian vessel because it violated EU sanctions and the EU in public dismissed that...even more so EU foreign secretary Mogherini said UK acted on Boltons orders
     
  4. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Hours after Washington failed to persuade the Gibraltar authorities to not release the Iranian oil tanker, the State Department warned that anyone linked to the vessel will not be able to travel to the US.

    Unable to stop the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 from leaving Gibraltar, the US will target its crew, comprised of Indian, Filipino, Latvian, and Russian citizens. The sailors are now accused of aiding Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), labeled as a “terrorist organization” by the US.

    “Crewmembers of vessels assisting the IRGC by transporting oil from Iran may be ineligible for visas or admission to the United States under the terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds,” a statement released by the State Department reads.

    •••••••••••••••••••••••

    These are laughable sanctions. The US would have been better off doing nothing than this.
     
    Giftedone likes this.
  5. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    Im sure they shake from this ha ha ha. Its like throwing a hissy fist

    Can this get anymore laughable?

    When iranian FM Zarif was in New York at UNO, they approached him and said trump wants a meeting. He denied a meeting and then Trump personally ordered sanctions against all US property of Zarif. Later Zarif said he has no property in USA not even a paypal account.

    Do they release that this gets laughable?

    Meanwhile China plans to buy iranian oil.
     
  6. flyboy56

    flyboy56 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2013
    Messages:
    15,346
    Likes Received:
    5,337
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The Iranian tanker is still in Gibraltar.
     
  7. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
  8. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The American bullying can, of course, frighten some hapless Indian captain and his crew, who aren't really interested in seeing their lives turned upside down by the US and its penchant to designate ordinary people on its list of those who "support and aid terrorist groups [sic]. That has apparently caused some delay in the vessel moving, which means a new crew from Iran will need to take the sail the tanker. There is some suggestion that the US will try to use this delay to find some other pseudo legal ways to interfere with the vessel's release, but by the end of the day Friday, there has been no sign of any such additional legal maneuvers by the US. The Americans have threatened any port or person from cooperating with the tanker sailing, saying any port or person who assists the tanker in getting refueled would be made subject to their sanctions as well. But ultimately, I think this vessel will be on its way sooner or later. Real victory against the US, however, will not come until the Americans learn to give up on being a bully.
     
  9. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Not quite yet.
    [​IMG]
    Gibraltar Says it Will Assess Any US Attempt to Stop Iranian Tanker's Departure After its Release
    WORLD
    09:17 16.08.2019(updated 12:03 16.08.2019)Get short URL
    Oleg Burunov
    24888
    Earlier, Gibraltar authorities ruled that the Iranian oil tanker must be released; it was captured on 4 July on suspicion of transporting crude to Syria in violation of EU sanctions.

    Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has pledged that Gibraltar's Supreme Court will evaluate any US attempt to stop the Iranian tanker Grace 1's departure after its release.

    “She is able to leave as soon as she organises the logistics necessary in order to sail a ship of that size wherever it's going next. Could be today, could be tomorrow,” Picardo told BBC.

    [​IMG]
    © REUTERS / JON NAZCA
    Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 sits anchored after it was seized earlier this month by British Royal Marines off the coast of the British Mediterranean territory on suspicion of violating sanctions against Syria, in the Strait of Gibraltar, southern Spain July 20, 2019

    When asked about the US launching a last-ditch bid to seize the Grace1, Picardo said, “those will be determinations made purely objectively and independently by those authorities and then subject to once again the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar”.

    He pointed out that the issue “could go back to the court absolutely”.

    On Thursday, the Gibraltar government stated that “the US Department of Justice has applied to seize the [Iranian tanker] Grace 1 on a number of allegations which are now being considered.”
     
  10. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Please refer to my post prior to your's. And for further information, you can read this report as well.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irania...its-oil-tanker-may-stay-put-today-2019-08-16/
     
  11. Reality

    Reality Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2014
    Messages:
    21,456
    Likes Received:
    7,605
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Except after release they went on record saying they hadn't promised **** so... maybe dont start getting super excited just yet bud
     
  12. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Unless the writ of America legally extends to all of its overseas client states, this "warrant" shouldn't by itself matter that much. But it shows the great lengths America is going through to prevent the Iranian tanker from sailing and, more significantly, the lengths America is going through to make sure the tanker doesn't receive the ordinary support a tanker requires to make a journey in the high seas.

    The Iranian tanker will said and get out of Gibraltar. But the real issues that need to be addressed go way beyond whether this tanker is ultimately allowed to sail.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/16/iran-oil-tanker-us-uk-gibraltar-warrant
    US unveils warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar dispute
     
  13. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    Its the typical bejavior of a dieing empire. As you see more and more of their vasalls break free.

    The first was Germany that started to emanzipate itself and i feel proud for this.

    This cycle will be broken in near future. It has come to the step where the USA have to bully their own vasalls to make them do what they order. This doesnt work on Germany anymore and also not on France. Im quite sure the UK will also free itself.

    That doesnt mean your country is not ruled by a government that i find disgusting but it poses no threat to us. You can do in your country what you want. Stone women, behead and all that sick **** you muslims love to do. Dont threat us and we give a ****.
     
  14. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Good luck. In the meantime, the picture as not as rosy as you like to believe. It takes a lot of sacrifice to be truly emancipated and those who are comfortable enough in the current order as Germany is, are quite likely ultimately to find an excuse to bite the occasional indignities to live according to its rules. I don't want it to be this way, but that is how it often works.
    Iran's government is an issue I like to discuss separately, but I am surprised by the rest of your comments. I thought you would know better to fall for some of these ideas. Maybe you don't know this, but pretty much the entire history of Iran has been about one thing: to retain its independence. And that includes, as it relates to the Islamization of Iran following the Arab conquest, the attempt to reject being lumped together with the rest of the Muslims around us. That is why Iran never became Arab, even though almost all the other nations the Arabs conquered became not just Muslim but Arab too. And that is why Iran became Shia. Shia Islam, above everything else, is more a political stance: one that stands for the proposition that we didn't even at the heyday of power, and certainly not now, accept the legitimacy of any Caliph or Caliphate (or anyone else who purports to rule in that name). That they were are illegitimate as far as we are concerned. That proper rule over the Iranian sphere rests with Iran. Not to Rome, certainly not the Arabs, not to any Ottoman Sultan, nor anyone else, not the British, not the Americans. No one else.

    To retain Iran's Islamic heritage, which many Iranians would be rightly proud of given the fact their singular influence over everything that was and became worthy during the Golden Age of Islam (so much so, that the Islam that emerged is referred to by many historians as "Iranian Islam"), while remaining true to Iran's pre-Islamic heritage and identity as well (even under this theocracy, Iran's new year and national holiday is Norooz, and not any Islamic holiday), and resisting westernization and the newest threats to Iranian identity, isn't an easy task. Nor one that will produce a picture that is always easy to comprehend or understand for foreigners. But the Iran that I know, and the forces in it that I support, prefer our women to be truly emancipated, educated, and productive. To be neither enslaved to serve merely the sexual gratification of men nor uneducated or unproductive people who would be reliant on what men tell them to do. To dress beautifully to be sure, but not by merely following whatever passes as fashion in Rome or London or New York. To come up with their own fashion and to lead with it. To ultimately have a distinct Iranian civilization that learns from all human experience, but doesn't feel it needs to bow or imitate any of them but feels free to add and to subtract from it as it pleases.
     
  15. Sobo

    Sobo Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2017
    Messages:
    10,309
    Likes Received:
    1,946
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    Thatsno contradiction at all. Since this is a German stand. Remember we crushed all who tried to rule over us. Be it the romans, Ottomans, arabs ect

    What i meant is, i reject Islam absolutely. I see it as rotten to the core. But i dont care what other countries do in their nation. I can trade with the mullahs, that doesnt mean i have to like them.

    I think Germany and Iran have a very long and positive history. I would not interfer in Iran and im sure you understand that i expect Iran to never interfer in Germany
     
  16. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Iran has no interest, pretension or aspiration to interfere in Germany! We prefer to have good relations with Germany, although we realize that having good relations with Iran these days comes at a price that many prefer not to pay. Which means that we realize the potential for relations between Iran and Germany aren't going to match its reality for now.

    But, that said, there are those whose tactics are just becoming too much to bear. And that may even prove their undoing. Here are just two quite minor examples of a lot more that is done that is both more substantial and more troubling.

    https://www.jpost.com/International...ing-lessons-of-Auschwitz-supports-Iran-598755
    ‘GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGNORING LESSONS OF AUSCHWITZ,' SUPPORTS IRAN

    https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/German-amb-set-to-run-EU-Iran-trade-fired-linked-to-Holocaust-denier-59811
    GERMAN AMB. SET TO RUN EU-IRAN TRADE RESIGNS, LINKED TO HOLOCAUST DENIER
     
  17. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    It’s funny that the captain of the ship does not want the job anymore.
    Tanker is still off Gibraltar.
     
  18. Jeannette

    Jeannette Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2012
    Messages:
    37,994
    Likes Received:
    7,948
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Brilliantly put, and the same should stand for all countries.

    The tanker Grace 1 has now changed it's name, so would the warrant still hold? Also China supposedly buckled and is not buying oil from Iran - which means it's coming through a third country. Probably Russia. If they're not using SWIFT how would Washington know? Besides Russia's been sanctioned to the hilt so does it really matter?
     
  19. Giftedone

    Giftedone Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2010
    Messages:
    63,710
    Likes Received:
    13,466
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It will be leaving soon. The bottom line here is that the effort by the Trump admin to club our allies into submission over these sanctions was a major blunder on the geopolitical chessboard. France, Germany, Italy and others have been telling us directly to "fk off" and now even our lapdog Britain is refusing to obey the command of its Master.
     
    tecoyah likes this.
  20. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Unfortunately, and rather embarrassingly for all the other sides who signed the JCPOA and the international community that saw it basically adopted as a UN Security Council resolution, the states that you have mentioned have proven worthless in the face of keeping up their commitments and leaving up to what they were supposed to do under the nuclear deal with Iran. Part of it is more understandable: it is easy to frighten companies and individuals from dealing with Iran, if they will end up being blacklisted and made subject to US sanctions on ridiculous grounds (e.g., aiding a designated "terrorist group" [sic]) such as the one that has made the Indian crew of this Iranian tanker worried as well. Part of it somewhat inevitable as long as the financial system relies on the US dollar and where you have international banks refuse to deal with anyone or anything from Iran lest they have to pay multi-billion dollar penalties and fines (many such penalties were assessed against several banks and collected from them). With Iran cut from the SWIFT network and with no banks working with anyone who resides in Iran or having any dealings in Iran, it is hard to carry out trade. But there are also parts that are basically unforgivable and paint these states as lackeys that aren't quite as open in telling the US to "fk off" as you imagine. All these states have stopped importing Iranian oil; even China!! And none of them have shown the guts to stand up and say: we aren't going to let the US penalize and criminalize what is perfectly legal activity under our laws because of extra-territorial sanctions it adopts and which it tries to enforce on others.

    Take this case and the Indian crew that is understandably concerned and who have already had to incur legal costs for doing nothing wrong and who the US specifically threatened to list as supporting a designated "terrorist group". As Indian nationals, you would expect the government of India to come to their defense. To tell the US: back off. We aren't going to let you persecute and threaten to prosecute our nationals for doing things that aren't illegal except by virtue of laws that attempt to criminalize behavior taking place in territories outside those of the enacting state. But, alas, India is not going to stand up for its own nationals. Ultimately, it doesn't want to take the risk of taking on America.

    The most these countries have done, and even then not as clearly as you would expect, is to refuse to actively engage in prosecuting American policies using their armed forces and judiciary to implement policies that technically run counter to their stated foreign policy position on the nuclear deal. Even then, as the initial seizure of the Iranian tanker in Gibraltar showed, they often enough allow the US to pressure them to bend their rules and do America's bidding even in some such situations.

    Anyway, this Iranian tanker will sail, but what Trump has done is to make it clear that no other country in the world really counts much if the US is determined to make them look silly and impotent, they will fall into line regardless if they protest the issue or not.
     
  21. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The change in the name of the ship won't affect the issue, because last time anyone checked, Gibraltar wasn't under jurisdiction of US courts and the American warrant by itself would not have the reach to stop the vessel from starting back in its journey. What the Americans are trying to do is different: they are basically trying to scare anyone who would in any way "assist" the vessel (fuel it, anchor it, release it from anchor, allowing it to sail to their ports, etc) from doing so, fearing that they will be targeted and penalized by the US as aiding and assisting a US designated "terrorist group" [sic].

    As for your question on Russia, it would be for the Russians to answer. They are oil exporter but there are plenty of other trade they can engage in with Iran in any case. Wish they would, but...
     
  22. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
  23. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The truth is more complicated. The Chinese aren't doing what report implies, but they aren't closing off their avenues to do so either. But the situation is even more complicated than that: even when China was openly and without any issues buying Iranian oil, they weren't able to pay Iran for the oil! The money would basically sit in a foreign bank account in Iran's name, but which Iran couldn't access much anyway! Except for some barter type arrangements with the Chinese! Otherwise, the funds couldn't be transferred to Iran even before the Trump sanctions as most foreign banks just refused to handle Iranian transactions.
     
  24. Giftedone

    Giftedone Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2010
    Messages:
    63,710
    Likes Received:
    13,466
    Trophy Points:
    113
    There is a reason why it is called "The Nuclear Option". The US has the ability to decimate a nations banking system by blocking them out of the international system of payments. These nations are then pretty much forced to adhere to the whims of the Trump administration.

    The thing is however that the US was "allowed" to have this privilege - one that was given on auspices - a sort of gentleman's agreement - that the US would not turn around and abuse this privilege.

    That is exactly what has happened - and the nations of the world are livid - openly regretting giving the US this privilege and power.

    As are result of this reckless abuse of power - efforts to come up with a competitor to the US dollar as the SOLE world reserve currency have gone into overdrive. In addition, US corporations have become a big of an international pariah - finding themselves in the back of the line as opposed to traditionally having VIP status.

    This backlash has also led to numerous nations of the world - including in Europe - going ahead with projects despite threats and plea's by the US not to. Germany - Nord Stream, Italy - Belt and Road initiative, India and Turkey - the S-400 system - and there are a host of other examples. This is something that has not happened in recent history and it is just getting started.

    While the Trump admin is going around trying to club nations into submission - Russia and China are going around doing deals.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2019
    Eadora likes this.
  25. Iranian Monitor

    Iranian Monitor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Messages:
    6,504
    Likes Received:
    1,646
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The US dollar and its role in international trade is one important piece of a much larger puzzle. There are a bunch of things which combine to give the US quite an influence over what other nations do. But, of course, I expect and hope that countries like Russia and China would show more resolve to ignore the Americans and stand up to these US efforts. As it relates to Iran, however, both have been rather cautious. The Chinese start and cut off negotiations with Iran on various projects, mainly to use as a lever in their talks with Washington. Otherwise, the US has found quite a few enticements to keep the Chinese from genuinely developing the kind of ties all the projects they have "negotiated" with Iran would imply, most specifically by sending the Saudis to offer the Chinese a lot more money and a lot of deals. All with the implicit understanding that China should not get too close to Iran. The Russians, on the other hand, have this peculiar relationship with Israel, which makes things quite complicated when it comes to their dealings with Iran.
     

Share This Page