Iran Super Thread- Merged

[Colin Parkinson]

A regime that slaughtered 50,000 of it's own people in 2 days gets nominated by Canada? Disgusting.

 

[Czech_pivo]

A regime that slaughtered 50,000 of it's own people in 2 days gets nominated by Canada? Disgusting.

Is Bob Rae still our Ambassador at the UN?

 

[Navy_Pete]

Meanwhile, first one through ...

Sanctioned Chinese Tanker Breaks Through Strait Of Hormuz Blockade

A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the United States passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite a U.S. blockade on the chokepoint, shipping data showed. The vessel, Rich Starry, appears to be the first sanctioned tanker to successfully navigate the strait and exit the Gulf since the blockade

stratnewsglobal.com

... among others

Sanctioned tankers transit Strait of Hormuz amid US blockade

Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry becomes the first sanctioned vessel to exit the Gulf after the US blockade.

www.aljazeera.com

It seems like they were coming from other ports withing the gulf and transitting through; under what legal authority would the US actually blockade them (especially leaving from places like the UAE that are theoretrically friendly with the US).

THe whole blockade things is so unclear, especially when Trump seemed to be specifically planning to enforce a tax of anyone people coming through and taking a cut as part of the agreement with Iran, which is nuts on it's own.

 

[QV]

A regime that slaughtered 50,000 of it's own people in 2 days gets nominated by Canada? Disgusting.

Anything to spite the US. That's where we are at. And the voters are gobbling it up.

 

[Kirkhill]

It seems like they were coming from other ports withing the gulf and transitting through; under what legal authority would the US actually blockade them (especially leaving from places like the UAE that are theoretrically friendly with the US).

THe whole blockade things is so unclear, especially when Trump seemed to be specifically planning to enforce a tax of anyone people coming through and taking a cut as part of the agreement with Iran, which is nuts on it's own.

On what reasonable grounds can a police officer pull you over on a public highway and go fishing for violations?

That seems to be the primary tactic being employed against the shadow fleet, and un-sanctioned traffic generally, by not just the US but some other countries with dogs in this fight.

Those tankers now have to pass through the USN's version of a Checkstop.

Or tollbooth.

 

[YZT580]

Is Bob Rae still our Ambassador at the UN?

Don't think so.

 

[Navy_Pete]

On what reasonable grounds can a police officer pull you over on a public highway and go fishing for violations?

That seems to be the primary tactic being employed against the shadow fleet, and un-sanctioned traffic generally, by not just the US but some other countries with dogs in this fight.

Those tankers now have to pass through the USN's version of a Checkstop.

Or tollbooth.

Well, for one, they have legal jurisdiction on the highways?

The US has no backing from anyone other than Israel on this whole shitshow, and pulling over a Chinese flagged ship in international waters is a violation of Chinese sovereignty, so that's not something they have free reign over, regardless of their military power.

 

[OldSolduer]

Appears to be.

Outrage at UN: Democracies Enable Iran, China, Cuba to Oversee Human Rights Bodies - UN Watch

GENEVA, April 10, 2026 — UN Watch, the independent Geneva-based non-governmental organization that monitors the United Nations, today called on Canada,

unwatch.org

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042646624195825881

Iran secures UN role with backing from UK, France, Canada, Australia as US stands alone

Western democracies face backlash for allowing Iran and other authoritarian regimes to secure influential U.N. seats as the U.S. stood alone in opposition.

www.foxnews.com

Meanwhile, first one through ...

Sanctioned Chinese Tanker Breaks Through Strait Of Hormuz Blockade

A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the United States passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite a U.S. blockade on the chokepoint, shipping data showed. The vessel, Rich Starry, appears to be the first sanctioned tanker to successfully navigate the strait and exit the Gulf since the blockade

stratnewsglobal.com

... among others

Sanctioned tankers transit Strait of Hormuz amid US blockade

Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry becomes the first sanctioned vessel to exit the Gulf after the US blockade.

www.aljazeera.com

Be a shame if anything happened to that Chinese tanker…

 

[The Bread Guy]

Is Bob Rae still our Ambassador at the UN?

Not since late last year.

David Lametti, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York

Before his appointment by the Government of Canada, Mr. Rae served as Canada’s special envoy on humanitarian and refugee issues, continuing the important work that he began in 2017 as Canada’s special envoy to Myanmar while also addressing other pressing humanitarian and refugee issues around...

www.international.gc.ca

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Be a shame if anything happened to that Chinese tanker…

yes. Like a war that only China is prepared for...

 

[Kirkhill]

Well, for one, they have legal jurisdiction on the highways?

The US has no backing from anyone other than Israel on this whole shitshow, and pulling over a Chinese flagged ship in international waters is a violation of Chinese sovereignty, so that's not something they have free reign over, regardless of their military power.

AI is my friend

Since December 2025, a intensified global crackdown has seen at least 14 shadow fleet vessels, primarily carrying Russian oil, boarded, detained, or seized by a coalition of European and other nations. This wave of enforcement, which included 14 such cases between December 2025 and March 2026, aims to stop sanctions evasion, reduce environmental risks from aging tankers, and cut funding for Russia's war effort.
CBC +2

European and Other Nations Involved (Post-Dec 2025):

• France: The French Navy has been active, seizing the UK-sanctioned and Comorian-flagged tanker Grinch in the Alboran Sea on January 22, 2026, and later seizing the tanker Deyna in the Mediterranean on March 20, 2026, which was flying a false Mozambican flag.
• United States: The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have taken aggressive actions, including the seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic on January 7, 2026, and boarding the Panama-flagged Veronica III in February 2026.
• Belgium: On February 28, 2026, Belgian special forces, supported by French helicopters, seized the Guinea-registered tanker Ethera in the North Sea and escorted it to Zeebrugge.
• Finland: Finnish authorities took action on December 31, 2025, capturing the freighter Fitburg (St. Vincent and the Grenadines flag) in the Gulf of Finland, which was found carrying sanctioned Russian structural steel.
• Sweden: The Swedish Coast Guard detained a crew member of the Russian cargo ship Caffa17 on March 8, 2026, due to suspicions of transporting stolen Ukrainian grain, followed by the seizure of the false-flagged tanker Sea Owl II (Comorian flag) on March 12, 2026.
• United Kingdom: In March 2026, the UK announced new powers for the military to board and intercept shadow fleet vessels in British waters, with HMS Cutlass assisting in monitoring vessels in the Mediterranean.
• India: Indian authorities seized three suspected Iranian tankers in the same period.
  UNITED24 Media +2

Key Sanctions and Measures Taken:

• EU Designation: On December 18, 2025, the Council of the EU sanctioned 41 additional vessels belonging to the Russian shadow fleet, banning them from EU ports and services.
• Joint Action: Fourteen nations, including Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement in January 2026, declaring they would treat flag-switching, transponder-turning, or undocumented tankers as "stateless" to simplify detention.
• Canada: In March 2026, Canada targeted 100 Russian shadow fleet vessels with new sanctions.
  UNITED24 Media +2

Tactics Used by Shadow Fleet:

These vessels are frequently found to be operating under false flags from nations like Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Comoros, and Gabon, while engaging in deceptive practices like turning off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to evade sanctions.

....

Iran is under severe, primarily US-led international sanctions targeting its oil sector, aiming to curtail its ability to export crude oil. While UN sanctions have faced deadlock, US sanctions have been in place since 2018, forcing Iran to rely on a "shadow fleet" of tankers and covert sales to China to bypass these restrictions, often selling at a discount.
Clingendael +1
Key Details on Iranian Oil Sanctions:

• US Sanctions: Since 2018, the US has maintained heavy, unilateral sanctions on Iran's oil industry, including its financial sector and shipping. These restrict banks, insurance, and ships, making it difficult for foreign entities to purchase Iranian oil, says the European Parliament.
• Naval Blockade: As of early 2026, the US has increased efforts to block Iranian oil exports at key chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, increasing risk to shipments.
• "Shadow Fleet" and Evasion: Iran evades these restrictions using a "shadow fleet" of old tankers, ship-to-ship transfers, and by masking the origins of its oil.
• Primary Destination: Most of Iran's oil exports continue to be shipped to China, notes United Against Nuclear Iran and reports from the Congressional Research Service.
• Market Impact: Despite these restrictions, Iran has stabilized some exports at around 1.5 million barrels a day through these illicit channels, says Clingendael.
• Temporary Waivers: Occasionally, the US has granted temporary permissions to allow some Iranian oil to sell, usually to help stabilize global market prices during high tension, according to DW.com.
  Clingendael +6

....

Doesn't appear to me as if there might not be reasonable cause.

 

[Kirkhill]

are the laws that underwrote the british anti-piracy and anti-slavery activities of the West Africa Squadron and other Royal Navy units still in effect and if not are there similar laws that would justify similar actions in the present day

The specific 19th-century British laws—such as the Slave Trade Act of 1807 and subsequent abolition acts—that empowered the West Africa Squadron are not in effect today. Those laws were tied to the legal framework of the British Empire and specific treaties, which have been superseded by modern international law.
Facebook +4
However, the principle of using naval force to combat slavery and piracy remains robustly supported by contemporary international law, allowing for similar, though more heavily regulated, actions in the present day.

1. Modern Equivalent Laws and Frameworks (2026)
While Britain cannot unilaterally impose its laws on foreign ships, the following frameworks allow the Royal Navy to act against modern slavery and piracy:

• UNCLOS (1982) Articles 99, 100, and 110: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) serves as the "Constitution of the Oceans."
  • Anti-Slavery (Art 99): Obliges every state to prevent and punish the transport of slaves in ships flying its flag. It declares that any slave taking refuge on board any ship, regardless of its flag, is free.
  • Right of Visit (Art 110): Authorizes a warship to board a foreign ship on the high seas if there is reasonable ground to suspect it is engaged in the slave trade or piracy.
  • Anti-Piracy (Art 100): Mandates that all states cooperate to repress piracy on the high seas.
• The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015: This law gives the UK jurisdiction over British vessels worldwide and allows for foreign travel restrictions and seizure of vessels involved in trafficking.
• 2000 Trafficking Protocol: Supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, this allows states to take action against trafficking in persons, though it often requires flag-state consent for boarding.
  Brill +4

2. Similarities and Differences in Enforcement

• Similar Actions: Royal Navy units can (and do) track, intercept, and board ships suspected of violating maritime law, particularly in operations targeting "shadow fleet" vessels, illegal trafficking, or piracy.
• Key Differences:
  • Consensual Boarding: While the West Africa Squadron frequently boarded foreign ships without permission (due to treaties), modern naval actions generally require either UN authorization, flag-state consent, or clear evidence of piracy.
  • Definition of Slavery: Modern slavery (trafficking, forced labor) differs from the "classic" slave trade, making it legally more complex to invoke the absolute right of visit solely based on "slave trading" suspicions, though it is still argued to be an evolutionary interpretation of UNCLOS.
    Brill +2

3. Present-Day Legal Justification
Present-day "similar actions" are justified through Universal Jurisdiction for piracy and, arguably, for human trafficking. The international community largely recognizes trafficking as a modern form of slavery that undermines fundamental human rights, thus authorizing warships to act against it under UNCLOS.
Brill +1
In essence, while the specific 19th-century British statutes are gone, they were replaced by global maritime laws that mirror the original intent: suppressing slavery and piracy on the high seas.

 

[Kirkhill]

There is legal authority to board a foreign vessel on the high seas even without the master's or flag state's permission, but this authority is strictly limited to specific circumstances.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment +1
Under modern international law, primarily the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a warship or authorized government vessel may exercise the "Right of Visit" (jus visitationis).
TRT World Research Centre +1

1. Legal Triggers for Boarding Without Consent
A warship is justified in boarding a foreign vessel on the high seas—regardless of consent—if there is reasonable ground for suspecting that the ship is involved in the following:
Welcome to the United Nations +3

• Piracy: Because piracy is a "universal crime," any nation can intervene to suppress it.
• Slave Trade: The universal prohibition of slavery allows for boarding to verify if a ship is transporting slaves.
• Statelessness: If a ship has no nationality or is flying a "false flag" (concealing its identity), it loses the protection of a flag state and can be boarded for verification.
• Unauthorized Broadcasting: Transmitting from the high seas without proper authorization.
• Deceptive Nationality: If the ship, though flying a foreign flag, is actually of the same nationality as the warship.
  Welcome to the United Nations +6

2. The Boarding Procedure
The law mandates a graduated response to respect freedom of navigation:
Welcome to the United Nations +1

1. Verification of Flag: The warship may send a boat under the command of an officer to verify the ship's right to fly its flag.
2. Document Check: The initial phase is limited to inspecting the ship's papers.
3. Further Examination: Only if suspicion remains after the documents have been checked may the boarding party proceed to a "further examination" on board the ship.
   Welcome to the United Nations +4

3. Consequences of Unauthorized or Unfounded Boarding

• Liability: If the suspicions prove unfounded and the ship has committed no act to justify them, the boarding state must compensate the vessel for any loss or damage sustained (such as fuel costs or delays).
• Refusal to Board: While a master might refuse, doing so often serves to heighten reasonable suspicion, which can justify escalating the situation or involving the ship's supposed flag state for formal authorization.
  Welcome to the United Nations +2