The United Kingdom on Saturday denounced Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz and will implement sanctions against the Islamic Republic in response, the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) posted a video showing speedboats pulling alongside the Stena Impero, and IRGC forces wearing ski masks and bearing machine guns rappelling down to the vessel from a helicopter. The incident follows threats from Tehran that London would face “consequences” for its seizure on July 4 of the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 for allegedly violating European Union sanctions against Syria, where it was accused of heading. The Islamic Republic denied the allegations. France, Germany and the European Union joined Britain in condemning the seizure. Tensions are already high in the Gulf, with the US blaming Iran for numerous attacks against pro-western countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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