US sanctions Chinese companies for Iran oil imports Gulf tensions

US sanctions Chinese companies for Iran oil imports – Pompeo

The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions on Chinese companies for buying Iranian oil, stepping up pressure despite European attempts to arrange talks between Washington and Tehran according to TRT World.

Speaking to a pressure group opposed to the Iranian regime on the sidelines of the United Nations, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the actions were in response to violations of unilateral US sanctions.

"We're telling China, and all nations -- know that we will sanction every violation of sanctions of all activity," Pompeo told United Against a Nuclear Iran.

He said that sanctions were being placed both on the companies and on their chief executives.

Pompeo said that the United States was also aiming to split the elite Revolutionary Guards from the rest of the Iranian company.

Iran still holding British tanker despite lifting detention order

British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero is still being held in Iran, despite Tehran lifting a detention order on the vessel, its owner said on Wednesday.

Sweden's Stena Bulk said it was not in negotiations with Iran and not aware of any formal charges against the crew or the company.

"We haven't been accused of anything. Not through any formal letter or anything else to the company. We are still in the dark over why we are anchored in Bandar Abbas," Stena Bulk CEO Erik Hanell told Reuters by telephone.

He said the ship was fuelled and ready to sail for a port in the United Arab Emirates as soon as it was cleared to leave.

Iran's defence minister rejects any deal on missile programme

Iran's defence minister Wednesday rejected the idea of a deal with world powers over the country's missile programme.

The official IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Amir Hatami as saying that any deal with the United States over Iran's "missile power" would damage the country's capabilities. He said Iran's leaders all support improving the missile program.

Separately, the chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guard in charge of the country's missile program, Gen. Hossein Salami, was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency as saying Wednesday that Iran has shown self-restraint despite the capabilities of its military, including its missile program.

"We are not looking for trouble but we will respond to troublemakers," he said.

Referring to Iran-backed Houthi rebel attacks on Saudi Arabia, Salami said Iran has improved its military power to the extent that other countries blame it for actions carried out by the rebels themselves.

"The enemy assumes that we are in charge of any sophisticated job," he said. Without elaborating, he added that the Houthis were capable of "changing the entire field of war."

Iran gives final green light for British-flagged tanker to leave

British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, seized by Iran more than two months ago, was Wednesday given the final clearance to leave, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

He tweeted that "the lifting of the seizure of the vessel Stena Impero was finalised today" after a procedure coordinated by the foreign ministry, Iran's judiciary and its port and maritime authorities.

But a legal case "remains open", he said. "The captain and the owners have signed a written commitment to accept the verdict" handed down at the end of proceedings.

Iran ready to accept nuclear deal changes if US lifts sanctions – spokesman

Iran is willing to give reassurances on not seeking nuclear arms and accept changes to its 2015 nuclear accord with world power if the United States returns to the deal and lifts sanctions, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

"If the sanctions are ended and there is a return to the (nuclear) accord, there is room for giving reassurances towards breaking the deadlock and the President (Hassan Rouhani) has even a proposal for small changes in the accord," the spokesman, Ali Rabiei, said on state TV.

Iran says detention of British tanker lifted but investigation of ship ongoing

Iran's foreign ministry said a detention order on the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero was lifted on Wednesday, but added that an investigation into the vessel was ongoing.

"The lifting of the detention order against Steno Impero was finalised today, but the investigation of some of its violations and environmental damage remains open," ministry spokesman Mousavi said in a tweet.

"The owner and captain of the ship have made a written commitment to accept the court's decision in this regard," he said.

British tanker Stena Impero still held in Iran – owner

Iranian authorities have yet to release the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero even though the vessel, seized by Iranian forces in July, has been cleared to leave port, its Swedish owner said on Wednesday.

"At this point we are simply waiting for the guards onboard to leave and for the ship to receive clearance to sail," Stena Bulk Chief Executive Hanell said in a text message.