VIENNA — Iran says it considers Britain’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker a breach of the ailing 2015 nuclear deal, as the remaining parties to the accord meet in Vienna in another attempt to salvage the agreement.
British authorities detained an Iranian tanker off the UK overseas territory of Gibraltar in early July on allegations it was breaching EU sanctions on Syria.
On July 19, a British-flagged tanker was impounded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards with its 23 crew aboard in the Strait of Hormuz, which was seen by the UK as a tit-for-tat move.
Arriving at the meeting in Vienna, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi links the tanker row to discussions over the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“Developments have occurred, such as the seizure of the tanker carrying Iranian oil in Gibraltar, which in our view is considered a breach of the JCPOA,” Araghchi says in comments carried on Iranian state TV.
“Countries party to the JCPOA must not create any obstacles in the way of Iran exporting its oil,” he adds.
Araghchi is speaking as envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and Iran gathered for talks in the Austrian capital, a month after a similar meeting failed to achieve a breakthrough.
— AFP
Iranian Deputy Forein Minister Abbas Araghchi (Center-R) and Helga Schmid (Center-L), secretary general of the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS), take part in a meeting of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) attended by the E3+2 (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom) and Iran on July 28, 2019, at the Palais Coburg in Vienna, Austria. (Alex Halada/AFP)
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