Egypt detains Iran oil tanker, sentences 6 to life for espionage
Egyptian authorities detained a Ukrainian tanker carrying
Iranian oil as it passed through the Suez Canal ten days ago.
News of the seizure came a day after Egypt’s Supreme State
Security Criminal Court sentenced six people to jail on charges of spying for
Iran.
The court has sentenced the defendants to 15-25 years in
jail, a $30,000 fine and the confiscation of their computers and phones.
Egyptian Al-Azhar Professor Alaa Moawad, who was present at the trial on
Sunday, was accused of harming Egypt’s national interests and receiving money
to spread Iranian Shiism in Sunni Egypt by launching a website, issuing
publications and attracting recruits.
The remaining five defendants, who were Iranian, were tried
in absentia.
The sentences have been issued amid rising tensions between
Iran and the US, where Iran struggles to sell its oil production under the US
sanctions.
In response Iran said over the weekend that it is prepared
to enrich uranium at any level and at any amount, according to Reuters.
Tension between the two countries is ongoing. In June Iran
was accused of attacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and later shot down a
US drone. Tehran has denied targeting the tankers.
At the time UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, also a major
ally of the US and Egypt, stated that Britain would consider joining the US in
potential military action against Iran.
Then last week Iran summoned the UK ambassador after the
Royal Marines seized an Iranian supertanker off the coast of Gibraltar it
suspected of carrying oil to Syria in contravention of sanctions against Bashar
Al-Assad.
Iran-Egypt relations are also tense due to Egypt’s support
for the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in Yemen, who Riyadh accuse
Iran of arming.
Last month Egypt said it was standing by Saudi Arabia
following an attack by the Houthis that wounded over 20 people at an airport in
the kingdom.
Cairo has joined Washington in calling on the Houthis to
cease attacks and said it will “defy any attempt to target the kingdom.”