Iran Says Crew of Seized Greek Oil Tanker Replaced

FILE: The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Ice Energy transfers crude oil from the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Lana (former Pegas), off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, May 26, 2022. (Reuters)
FILE: The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Ice Energy transfers crude oil from the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Lana (former Pegas), off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, May 26, 2022. (Reuters)
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Iran Says Crew of Seized Greek Oil Tanker Replaced

FILE: The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Ice Energy transfers crude oil from the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Lana (former Pegas), off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, May 26, 2022. (Reuters)
FILE: The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Ice Energy transfers crude oil from the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Lana (former Pegas), off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, May 26, 2022. (Reuters)

The crew of one of two Greek oil tankers seized by Iranian armed forces in May have been replaced by their company, Iran’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the ships in the Gulf days after Greece said it would deliver Iranian oil it had taken from a Russian tanker to the United States.

The Russian ship, the Pegas, had been detained by Greece at the request of the United States, which has imposed crippling sanctions on Iran, particularly on its oil exports.

“The (Greek) ship’s crew has been replaced according to international shipping protocols, which is done by the shipping companies themselves,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said.

“The previous crew left the tanker under usual arrangements,” he was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency, without elaborating or specifying the ship concerned.

A Greek port police spokeswoman told AFP on Wednesday evening that a Greek officer and 10 Filipino crewmembers from one of the tankers had arrived in Greece on Tuesday.

She added that the crew from both vessels were going to leave Iran and be replaced so that the tankers could continue their journey.

The 49 crew members of Delta Poseidon and Prudent Warrior, including 10 Greek sailors and one Cypriot, were held in the Gulf for almost 100 days.



Taiwan Reports Chinese Balloon, First Time in Six Months

A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
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Taiwan Reports Chinese Balloon, First Time in Six Months

A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)

Taiwan's defense ministry on Monday reported that a Chinese balloon had been detected over the sea to Taiwan's north, the first time since April it has reported such an incident in what Taipei views as part of a pattern of harassment by Beijing.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, complained that in the weeks leading up to its presidential election in January Chinese balloon activity took place at an "unprecedented scale".

It described the incidents as part of a Chinese pressure campaign - so-called grey-zone warfare designed to exhaust a foe using irregular tactics without open combat.

Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.

The ministry, in its regular morning update on Chinese military activities over the previous 24 hours, said the single balloon was detected at 6:21 p.m. (1021 GMT) on Sunday 60 nautical miles (111 km) to the north of Taiwan's Keelung port.

It then vanished some two hours later, having flown at an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 meters), but without crossing Taiwan itself, the ministry said.

China's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

China has previously dismissed Taiwan's complaints about the balloons, saying they were for meteorological purposes and should not be hyped up for political reasons.

The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue last year when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.