by Peter Koenig for The Saker Blog
The British-flagged tanker “Steno Impero”, heading for Saudi Arabia, was seized on Friday, 19 July 2019, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in the Strait of Hormuz, after it rammed an Iranian fishing boat, whose distress call it ignored.
The tanker was taken to an Iranian port, because it was not complying with “international maritime laws and regulations,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said. Most importantly, the ship did not respond to several warnings from helicopters and Iranian boats, as apparently it turned off its transponder. How could that happen under control of professional sailors, other than as an open provocation.
Shipping safety in the Strait of Hormuz is crucial. Between 20% and 30% of the world’s hydrocarbons are shipped through this narrow passage of international water way before entering the Gulf of Oman. The strait is closely watched by Iran, as it is of utmost security concern for Iran. If this passage were to be closed due to conflict, it could bring down the world economy.
Do those that play these provocations, the UK as a handler dancing to the strings pulled by of Washington, realize what’s at stake? – Do they want to bring the Middle East to the brink of war? A regional war that could easily convert into a world war? – That may well be the longer-term intention. In the short-run, though it looks like pushing the escalation to a point where US ‘Client Europe’ may be discouraged from insisting on maintaining their part of the Iran Nuclear deal, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and to blackmail Iran into a bilateral negotiation with the US on Iran’s nuclear program.
The first objective may be achieved; the second – no way. Iran is not falling for such fraud, especially with the country that pulled unilaterally out of the deal that was negotiated for two years (since November 2013) before it was signed in Vienna, Austria on 14 July 2015, by the 5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, UK and US – plus Germany – and the European Union, and of course Iran).
Not only did President Trump, guided by his buddy, Israel’s Netanyahu, tear up the agreement unilaterally, but he also reinstated one of the most severe economic sanctions programs on Iran, plus all the western lies and smear propaganda launched against Iran. It is sheer insanity to believe that Iran would under these circumstances go to the negotiating table with her hangman. That will not happen. But war tensions are being further raised which is fully in the direction of the war criminal-in-chief, John Bolton’s dream, ever since the invasion in 2003 of Iraq which he also helped to engineer. It is like this sick man’s raison d’être. Mass killing by war and conflict is in his genes. The world can only hope that Trump, or those who pull the strings behind Trump, will eventually dismiss Bolton.
Iran has already said that they will launch a full investigation into the British tanker’s, Steno Impero’s, sailing off course and ramming a fishing boat – and that the UK is invited to participate in the investigation.
——
Backtracking to 4 July, when the British Royal Marines seized the Iranian tanker Grace 1 in Spanish waters, off the coast of Gibraltar, under the pretext that the super tanker was carrying oil destined for Syria which was under the EU’s sanction program. Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, denied that the oil was destined for Syria; did however not elaborate further.
Spanish Foreign Minister, Mr. Josep Borrell, said that Washington informed Spain about the impending capture by the UK of the Iranian tanker in Spanish territorial waters. Spain could have said ‘no’ – but didn’t. Why not? Afraid of sanctions?
The UK did the bidding of Washington against her own interests, because the UK was one of three EU countries – Germany, France and UK – who at least made appear as if they wanted to preserve their part of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Mind you, this is not for love of Iran, but pure business interest. Iran should be aware of that – meaning, Iran could be shot in the back at any time by the EU, by the very countries that try – or make appear they try – to circumvent the US sanctions.
What happened on 4 July was an act of sheer piracy, nothing less. A crime on high seas which the west just tolerated. The vessel is still under British control, while the arrested crew has since been liberated. Aside from the fact that Iran’s capture of the British oil tanker may look like tit for tat – Iran acted fully legitimate, as it’s Revolutionary Guard is policing the Strait of Hormus for security of other ships sailing through the narrow passage.
In one of his typical outbreaks of a madman, President Trump warned in a televised ‘fire and fury’ speech at the white House on Friday 19 July, “We have the greatest ships – the most deadly ships, we don’t want to have to use them. We hope for [Iran’s] sake they don’t do anything foolish. If they do, they will pay a price like nobody’s ever paid.”
Why would Trump not use the same language to warn the Brits for their pirating an Iranian vessel in Spanish waters? – well, we know this is the crazy, unbalanced and off-kilter world we live in. Its so normal, people in the west take this imbalance and injustice, this double-talk and hypocrisy as the gospel.
—
All indications are however, while building up a war scene, the US are seeking justification for what they had already called out – an alliance of the willing to send war ships to the Straight of Hormus to assure safe passage for ‘everybody’. Well, this would certainly not fly with Iran. But important to know is what’s behind this idea. Imagine the US navy and her puppet allies controlling the sea passage through which almost a third of all the world’s hydrocarbon sails every day – Washington would have one more tool to sanction, strangle countries they feel do not bend enough to Washington’s dictate. Their oil shipment would be withheld, to bring their economy down – this might be the most effective weapon yet.
World beware! Even those who are in favors with the self-declared hegemon, you never know when the pendulum may swing the other way, simply because the Israel-driven US of A may be on a whim aggression course against an imaginary enemy, or corporate interests are shifting — in conclusion nobody would be safe – and, the world economy could come crashing down, like a house of cards, making 2008 look like a walk in the park.
Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a water resources and environmental specialist. He worked for over 30 years with the World Bank and the World Health Organization around the world in the fields of environment and water. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research; ICH; RT; Sputnik; PressTV; The 21st Century; TeleSUR; The Saker Blog, the New Eastern Outlook (NEO); and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance. Peter Koenig is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization.
The obvious goal of this “escort ships” nonsense is to build up US and allied navy ships in the Gulf which Trump can then use to achieve his “zero Iran oil shipments” policy by seizing Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf, in effect executing a blockade of Iran.
This would be an act of war. Iran would be forced to close the Straits to all shipping. The US would then fire on Iranian ships mining the Gulf. And there’s your Iran war.
If this isn’t obviously the goal to anyone with a brain, I don’t know what to tell you.
Precisely this. They will create the conditions that Iran will find justifiably intolerable and as result Iran will begin to shut down the strait at times of its choosing..
There will be some blah blah meetings at UN Security Council and then us and it’s lap dogs will strike Iran.
Iranians know this will be their fight. Neither China or Russia will come to their defense at the UN nor will they stop the Anglozionist empire. Instead they will watch Iran bleed the empire dry and then they will pick up the pieces from both ruined nations. China and Russia realize the Zionist entity has hijacked American foreign policy and they will watch it die in the persian graveyard. It is really the best thing that could ever happen for them…What will be left is cheap oil deals for them with Iran and destruction of the American hegemon It’s almost too good too be true.
Iran is the resistance they are the last stand. They will not go down without causing major damage to the empire.
RUSSIA WARNS U.S. AND ISRAEL THAT IRAN IS ITS ‘ALLY’ AND WAS RIGHT ABOUT DRONE SHOOT DOWN
6-25-19
A senior Russian official warned his U.S. and lsraeli counterparts that his country would continue to support Iran, which he backed in its recent claims regarding the shooting down of a U.S. spy drone.
Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev was the sole voice defending Iran in historic trilateral talks Tuesday alongside White House national security adviser John Bolton and Israeli National Security Council Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat in Jerusalem. As the U.S. and Israel hardened their stances against their mutual adversary amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, Russia has sought de-escalation and dismissed attempts to liken Iran to jihadis such as the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).
“In the context of the statements made by our partners with regard to a major regional power, namely Iran, I would like to say the following: Iran has always been and remains our ally and partner, with which we are consistently developing relations both on bilateral basis and within multilateral formats,” Patrushev said following the meeting that lasted more than two and a half hours, according to the state-run Tass Russian News Agency.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-iran-us-israel-drone-ally-1445802
https://www.globalresearch.ca/modi-must-mad-beyond-all-belief-khan-trump-meeting/5684399
Obviously Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan are slated for nuclear destruction. The wind blows eastwards. The timeline for conflict seems attached to removal of the Empire’s assets from the wind drift path. When the Empire is out of Afghanistan the set up for nuclear war on Iran will be complete.
Apparantly the UK claimed that Iran violated a EU sanction regime on Syria.
Last time I checked, Iran was not part of the EU.
Furthermore, Alan Boyle (Emeritus professor, International Law, University of Edinburgh) has stated: “Only the UN Security Council can authorise such an arrest at sea, not the EU” (Letters to the Editor in the Times, unfortunately behind a registration wall that I refuse to pass). In other words, the UK grabbing of the Grace 1 is pure piracy under international law.
The ‘grabbing’ of the UK ship in the street of Hormuz has to do with unsafe navigating (leaving shipping lane), a still unclear incident with an Iranian fishing boat, ignoring emergency calls and shutting of its transponder. Who is ‘piracing’ here?
What is often forgotten, is that the smallest part of Hormuz has no international waters. It’s just territoritorial waters of Oman and Iran. Passing goes via an international maritime treaty, founded on ‘innocent passing’ (just passing through). This is not much different than passing through the Kerch strait towards Ukraine. Didn’t we have an ‘incident’ there lately?
Let’s see if the British are so stupid to do such a provocation too. With BoJo and Bolton on the bridge we can expect anything. It’s just waiting for the first ship to be sunk.
In the meantime the Israelis are on popcorn and beer, watching all of it.
Cheers, Rob
When it comes to “piracy” (From “Private/Privateers”) NO ONE bests the Uber psycho British and their “Admiralty”.
The ones who invented international piracy.
Oh the insanity of this demonic, sodomite Orwellian Realm.
I do not think that the UK is just a puppet of the USA. The UK has a very old history of colonialism. In my eyes, the piracy act of capturing the Iranian ship is typically in the spirit oft he UK colonialism. Moreover, there was certainly the ambition of Jeremy Hunt to become prime minister, which played an important role. The UK has a great responsibility in this “ship affaire”.
Sorry for my late comment, I was absent.
Hi Paul
I usually do not comment on other’s posts,
but in this case I could not help myself…hope you do not mind.
Paul, at least you are THINKING my fellow “Saker” reader/poster..
-“I do not think that the UK is just a puppet of the USA”
EXACTLY- You ‘my friend’ are ABSOLUTLY CORRECT.
–
The US is the Military Arm of the Demonic Trinity. (Vatican, The City, Warshington)
The USA gets its marching Orders from “The City”. (Combining Chatham House/RIIA and Tavistock-IHS) Along with the rest of us slaves/proles/serfs in Wales, Ireland, Scotland and the rest of the ‘Commiewealth’ of “Oceania”.
Take care