DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on the tensions between the United States and Iran (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
The European Union says it is making some progress on its controversial barter-type system to trade with Iran and get around U.S. sanctions as part of its efforts to keep the nuclear deal alive.
EU foreign policy secretary general Helga Schmid said Thursday that beyond the 10 EU nations that are already part of the system, “we now have 7 more member states that have announced they will either join the shareholders or use Instex,” she said, referring to the barter system.
Schmid added that “from consultations I had last week, I can share with you that more, also non-EU member states, will join.”
Iran has breached the deal’s limitations in an attempt to get other nations to provide economic incentives to offset U.S. sanctions. The Trump administration withdrew from the agreement last year.
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2 p.m.
China is calling on all sides to avoid raising tensions in the Persian Gulf after Britain said three Iranian vessels sought to disrupt the passage of a British oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang says Beijing hopes the parties involved can “maintain cool and restraint” and safeguard peace and stability in the Gulf region.
Geng told reporters Thursday that China, a huge customer for oil and gas shipped through the strait, recognizes the influence events in the region can have on the stability of the global supply of resources.
China was a signatory to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and has sought to keep it in effect, despite the U.S. pulling out and re-imposing sanctions.
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1:20 p.m.
The Kremlin is calling for restraint following a brief standoff between British and Iranian naval vessels near the Persian Gulf.
The British navy said it prevented three Iranian paramilitary vessels from impeding the passage of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday. The incident came a day after Iran’s president warned of repercussions for the seizure of its own supertanker.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that “freedom of navigation should be ensured in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” which he said is crucial for the global economy. Peskov says Moscow is aware of both Britain’s statement and Iran’s denial that it tried to impede the ship’s passage.
Peskov called on “all parties” to show restraint and settle their disputes by negotiations.
Around 20% of all oil traded worldwide passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
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9:35 a.m.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has denied British allegations of a confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz, saying if it had received orders to seize any ships it would have executed them immediately.
The semi-official Fars news agency carried a statement from the Guard’s navy early Thursday saying “there were no clashes with alien boats, especially English boats.”
Britain says three Iranian vessels unsuccessfully tried to impede the passage of a British commercial vessel through the Strait of Hormuz and only turned away after receiving “verbal warnings” from a UK navy vessel.
Last week, authorities in Gibraltar intercepted an Iranian supertanker that was believed to be breaching European Union sanctions by carrying a shipment of Tehran’s crude oil to Syria. Tehran had warned of repercussions.
The tanker’s detention comes at a particularly sensitive time as tensions between the U.S. and Iran grow over the unraveling of a 2015 nuclear deal, which President Trump withdrew from last year.
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9:20 a.m.
Britain says three Iranian vessels unsuccessfully tried to impede the passage of a British commercial vessel through the Strait of Hormuz.
The British government said in a statement Thursday that the Iranian vessels only turned away after receiving “verbal warnings” from a UK navy vessel accompanying the commercial vessel British Heritage.
The statement says “we are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region.”
It marked the latest escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf over the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which the Trump administration abandoned last year.
Authorities in Gibraltar seized an Iranian supertanker last week for allegedly trying to breach Western sanctions on oil shipments to Syria. Tehran had warned there would be repercussions.
