Photos of 6 of 17 detainees declared as a “foreign spy ring” by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry

Pushing back international pressure, Iran has gone on the public-relations offensive over its seizure of a UK-flagged oil tanker.

Iranian State TV has aired a series of reports insisting that the Swedish-owned Stena Impero, boarded by Revolutionary Guards last Thursday, was detained after an accident with a fishing boat — rather than being taken in retaliation for the UK’s impoundment of an Iranian supertanker, accused of breaking European Union sanctions by carrying oil to Syria’s Assad regime, off the coast of Gibraltar on July 4.

Iranian military commanders and officials had vowed retaliation for the UK’s seizure of the supertanker, with the Supreme Leader saying the Islamic Republic “will not leave such vicious acts without a response”.

After weekend emergency meetings, the UK Government is planning new sanctions on Iran’s officials, including asset freezes, and asking the EU and UN to revive sanctions that were removed with the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal.

With the seizure, Iran has effectively ended months of discussions with the EU about a vital link for Tehran’s troubled economy.

The Europeans launched a Special Purpose Vehicle, known as INSTEX, in February for limited non-dollar trade in Iranian oil and other commodities and goods. Tehran rejected the mechanism because of “humiliating conditions” such as the EU’s concern over Iran’s missile program, activities in the Middle East, and alleged involvement in assassination and bomb plots in Europe.

Iranian officials dismissed the prospect of UK sanctions. “As far as I know, Iran has no assets in the UK that the government of this country could confiscate,” said Ali Naqi Khamoushi, the head of the Iran-Britain Chamber of Commerce. “This issue cannot have such an impact on our country’s exports and imports.”

State media is headlining Russian support through the statement of Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, “Iran’s arguments are much more right than those of Gibraltar and London who are indulging in piracy.”

Ryabkov adds the thought, “Iran is taking care of the ecology in the Strait of Hormuz.”

There is also the boost that Panama has begun de-registering the Riah, the UAE-based tanker detained by the Revolutionary Guards just over a week ago in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Panamanian Maritime Administration supported the Iranian explanation that the tanker was smuggling one million liters of oil out of the Islamic Republic. in the northern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

“We categorically condemn the use of vessels with a Panamanian flag for illicit acts that threaten the safety of human life,” the AMP underscored in a statement.

Iranian officials initially withheld confirmation that the Riah had been seized, but State TV began showing footage last Friday of the interception, just before confirmation that the Stena Impero had also been seized.

On another front, Iranian authorities have declared that “a network of operatives serving the (US) Central Intelligence Agency” has been broken.

The Intelligence Ministry said they had captured 17 people “in sensitive and vital private sector centers in the economic, nuclear, infrastructural, military and cyber areas…where they collected classified information”.

Photos of some of the detainees were posted, but no names were given.

A documentary broadcast over the weekend Press TV detailed security agencies’ efforts to seize the 17 detainees, claiming the CIA used “fake companies” to offer US visas to Iranians for an “ideal life abroad”.

Those who responded were considered as possible agents. Press TV declared that a man named “Steve” from the US Embassy in the United Arab Emirates offered to give the recruits money to set up businesses to monitor trade.

Iran regularly declares that it has broken up foreign-supported spy rings, and has used the claim of espionage to take a series of dual and foreign national as political prisoners.

See also Iran Daily, July 17: Political Prisoner Zaghari-Ratcliffe Isolated in Mental Health Ward