In the United States, an arrest warrant was issued for the Iranian tanker Grace 1, previously released by the authorities of British Gibraltar. The order was issued by the federal court of the District of Columbia, according to the website of the US Department of Justice.

“An arrest warrant has been issued in a District of Columbia court today alleging that the Grace 1 oil tanker, all oil on board, and US $ 995,000 are subject to forfeiture due to violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, banking fraud law and money laundering, as well as a separate law on confiscation in connection with terrorist activities, ”the statement said.

It is alleged that Grace 1 illegally bypassing US sanctions supplied oil from Iran to Syria, helping the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

Experts believe that by such actions the United States wants to demonstrate its dominance in the international arena.

“I think this is the“ ingenious ”line of the USA - to continue to escalate with everyone and everything. Another thing is that they do not realize all of their threats. The question here is that to step back means to show weakness. And to show weakness for America is tantamount to recognizing that it does not play a leading role in the world, ”Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, explained to RT.

However, he noted that the United States does not have any extraterritoriality in this case. Therefore, they have no right to detain a tanker in international waters.

“Of course, the American military vessels, if they wish, can detain him anywhere and anytime. But, from a legal point of view, the American court’s decision is not enough for this, ”the expert added.

So they will not leave

Note that on the eve of August 16, US State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus threatened the Grace 1 crew and all those involved with it with “serious consequences”. In particular, among them she indicated the refusal of entry visas to the United States and the strengthening of sanctions.

“The maritime community should know that the US government intends to annul the visas of members of such crews. In the case of the Grace 1 marine tanker, we will continue to act in accordance with our current policy regarding those who provide material support to the IRGC, ”the representative of the State Department emphasized.

  • US State Department Spokesman Morgan Ortagus
  • © Alex Wong / Getty Images / AFP

However, according to the director of the U.S. Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University, Yuri Rogulev, all these threats only led Washington to a standstill. However, the United States does not want to acknowledge this, and therefore they are trying to apply their law, which they consider to be higher than international.

“The United States started this whole story. At their urgent request, so to speak, if not pressure, the tanker was detained by the British. But the story came to a standstill - in response, a British tanker was detained. Now all this seems to be resolved and other countries have refused to participate in this. So the United States has connected its own legal and judicial component. And it is known that Washington considers American courts to be higher than foreign ones. Therefore, he connected this aspect to the development of the conflict, ”Rogulev told RT.

Shift the blame

The states do not want to reduce the intensity of the conflict with Iran in order to have a plausible excuse for their policies regarding the Islamic republic, experts are sure.

“The United States, as you know, withdrew from the multilateral treaty on Iran, and this exit needs some justification. And they are striving in every possible way to present Tehran as a violator of international law, all agreements, all agreements, including international ones. So they put pressure on him so that the IRI will agree to new negotiations and to revise the terms of the previous agreement, ”said Yuri Rogulev.

In his opinion, such a position of the Americans will not lead to anything good, since Iran is unlikely to make any concessions. Moreover, European countries do not express unconditional support for the United States.

“In this regard, the IRI makes no sense to succumb to this kind of pressure. Therefore, such a policy of the American leadership is, of course, reckless and unlikely to lead to anything good, ”the expert believes.

For your interests

Recall that the Gibraltar authorities announced a decision to release the Iranian tanker on August 15. Tehran’s written assurances that Grace 1 would no longer violate the EU sanctions regime imposed on Syria were cited as sufficient grounds.

As noted by Vladimir Bruter, such a step is explained by the reluctance of Great Britain to heat the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“Because the interests of London in the Strait of Hormuz can be done much more damage. In addition, Britain hoped that Iran would release its tanker Stena Impero in response, ”he said.

However, the Iranian side has not yet taken any steps in relation to the British ship, and it is still being held.

  • © Mizan News Agency / WANA Handout via REUTERS

As for Grace 1, it still remains off the coast of Gibraltar, according to the portal MarineTraffic. At the same time, earlier Jalil Eslami, deputy head of the Organization of Ports and Shipping of Iran, said that the tanker would change its name and go to the Mediterranean Sea.

“At the request of the owner of the vessel, the Grace 1 tanker will head to the Mediterranean Sea under the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran (previously it flew under the flag of Panama. - RT ), changing its name to Adrian Darya,” Iranian television quoted Eslami as saying.