‘Israel to Face Tough Response If Threatens Iranian Tankers’

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said Iran considers such actions against its oil sales “piracy”, warning Tel Aviv that it will face a tough response if it approaches Iran’s oil tankers.

He stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of dealing with this issue adding that the international community will not accept Israel’s move.

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic will surely provide the security of the shipping lines and the security of the international waterways for themselves and all those who are in the area of responsibility,” he noted.

The warning comes a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to stop what he called Iran’s “oil smuggling” by intercepting tankers carrying Iranian crude.

He said Israel’s navy will have a more important role in blocking Iran’s effort to bypass US sanctions on its oil sales.

This is not the first time that Iran’s oil exports are being threatened by the enemies of the country. Brian Hook, who is the US special representative for Iran at the US State Department, spoke publicly of the high probability of an incident for Iranian oil tankers earlier this year.

He said these tankers can no longer be insured by international companies and are likely to be insured by Iranian firms.

From the Suez Canal to the Strait of Malacca and all choke points in between, Iranian tankers are now a floating liability, Hook said in a press briefing.

Hook claimed now that sanctions have been reinstated on Iran’s shipping sector, Iranian tankers calling at international ports and passing through waterways pose a major risk.