Iran Press/Iran news: The spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif also confirmed the seized British tanker tried to enter the Strait of Hormuz with its communications transponders switched off -- contrary to maritime rules and regulations.
He said on Saturday that there was a real danger the oil tanker might have collided with ships and tankers moving in the opposite direction, Iran Press reported.
The oil tanker was trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz in waters normally used by commercial ships and tankers exiting the strait, posing a significant risk of a collision with a commercial ship traveling in the opposite direction, Sharif noted.
According to the IRGC spokesman, Iran had no choice but to impound the tanker, for safety reasons, and also because the oil tanker failed to respond to repeated warnings and messages sent to it by the IRGC navy.
Elsewhere in his comments Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif pointed to a British warship, the HMS Montrose which was escorting the oil tanker at the time, and also the dispatching of two helicopters by HMS Montrose to try to threaten or impede IRGC Navy gunboats as they tried to carry out their mission and impound the British oil tanker.
He emphasized that Iran would strictly enforce maritime rules and regulations which ensure the safety of all commercial ships in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) impounded the British oil tanker Stena Impero on Friday when it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz en route to Saudi Arabia "for failing to respect international maritime rules.” 101/211
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