Case of Ship Detention by Iran as Retaliation or Revenge

 Case of Ship Detention by Iran as Retaliation or Revenge

Jakarta, June 23, 2024

By: Rear Adm (Ret) Adv. Soleman B. Ponto ST SH MH CPM CParb

Iran has a long history of retaliating against ships from countries that Iran perceives as having treated it unfairly. Here are some significant examples where Iran detained foreign ships as acts of retaliation (revenge):

1. Case of Stena Impero (2019)

   • Date of Detention: July 19, 2019
   • Location: Strait of Hormuz, Iran
   • Background: The detention of the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero occurred after British authorities detained the Iranian tanker Grace 1 (later known as Adrian Darya 1) in Gibraltar on suspicion of violating EU sanctions by transporting oil to Syria. The detention was carried out by the Iranian Navy on charges that Stena Impero violated international maritime rules, including turning off its tracking system and colliding with an Iranian fishing boat.
   • Release Date: September 27, 2019

2. Case of Maersk Tigris (2015)

   • Date of Detention: April 28, 2015
   • Location: Strait of Hormuz, Iran
   • Background: The Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship Maersk Tigris was detained by the Iranian Navy after an Iranian court ruled that Maersk Line owed money to an Iranian company in a longstanding cargo dispute. The detention was an attempt to enforce the court's decision.
   • Release Date: May 7, 2015, after Maersk Line agreed to settle the financial dispute.

3. Case of Al-Riya (2007)

   • Date of Detention: March 23, 2007
   • Location: Disputed waters in the Persian Gulf near Iraq
   • Background: Iran detained 15 British naval personnel accused of violating Iranian territorial waters while conducting anti-smuggling patrols in disputed waters. Iran claimed the sailors had illegally entered Iranian waters, while the UK insisted they were in Iraqi waters.
   • Release Date: The sailors were eventually released following diplomatic efforts.

Impact on Indonesia:

The Iranian-flagged MT Arman 114 has been detained for approximately 10 months under Article 98 of Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, which essentially does not require the ship to be held as evidence. However, the reality is that the ship remains detained for reasons inconsistent with the alleged violation. If Iran perceives this as an injustice, it is not out of the question that Iran will retaliate by detaining any Indonesian ships passing through its waters. If this happens, it will be highly detrimental to the Indonesian people. Therefore, let us all hope that the judges in the Batam District Court can deliver the fairest possible verdict for the crew of MT Arman to avoid potential Iranian retaliation.