Iranian supertanker captured by Royal Marines in Gibraltar

Iranian newspaper headlines on Saturday reacted to the capture of an Iranian supertanker by Royal Marines in Gibraltar earlier in the week, as Tehran residents offered their opinions on the streets of the capital.

British Royal Marines seized the supertanker Grace 1 on Thursday for trying to take oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions in a move which drew Tehran’s fury and could escalate its confrontation with the West.

On Saturday an Iranian cleric said Britain should be “scared” about Tehran’s possible retaliation for the seizure of the Grace 1, the Fars semi-official news agency reported.

Tensions are high in the Gulf following last month’s attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route, and Iran’s downing of a U.S. drone.

Washington and Saudi Arabia have directly blamed Iran for the attacks on tankers, something Tehran denies.