Athens will not allow the Iranian Tanker “Adrian Darya-1”, in a Greek port of refuge. Thus, Athens is reflected on the side of the USA. However, the conflict goes on.
The international conflict over the Iranian Tanker “Adrian Darya-1” that is currently on the way from Gibraltar to the Eastern Mediterranean, goes to the next round. After speculation about whether the ship is heading to the Greek port of Kalamata, reports in the Greek media: The “Adrian Darya-1” may invest in any Greek port. Thus, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis seems to bend in its first international conflict to the pressure of the USA. This will keep the charge of the oil Tanker to be illegal, on the grounds that the Iranian crude oil, the financing of terrorist actions serve. Washington threatened to: Who let the Tanker in the entrance to the Harbor, support terrorists.
Mitsotakis made about his Deputy foreign Minister, Miltiadis Varivitsiotis tell, Greece will not make it easier for the Iranian tankers for the journey to Syria. Thus, the new Greek Premier has been in a complicated triangle of conflict between Brussels, Washington and Tehran on the side of the USA. But the Problem is not from the world.
Mitsotakis under pressure
For Prime Minister Mitsotakis of the conflict is very inconvenient. The Harvard graduate is fundamentally committed to good relations with the United States. Just with regard to the difficult relations with Turkey, in hopes of Athens on support from Washington, not least militarily. Since Ankara has ordered, under loud Protest of the U.S. government’s anti-ballistic missiles in Moscow, the Turkish-American relations as a sub-cooled. At the same time, Washington is located, to the displeasure of Turkey, the cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel regarding the natural gas reserves off the Cypriot coast. For Athens, these are not only of high economic importance. Mitsotakis also hopes that the natural gas deal boosted the upward trend in the Greek-American relations.
With Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) ruled out a US-friendly Prime Minister of Greece (with predecessor Alexis Tsipras)
The “Causa Adrian Darya-1” threatened Mitsotakis here is a draw. Actually, it went well for him so far. In the USA, it welcomed the fact that the Era Tsipras ended with the July elections. Although the cooperation with the socialist Prime Minister went better than expected, but the USA clearly prefer the conservative head of government and his neo-liberal economic program. In Washington, one hopes for a stable cooperation, without ideological reservations of Alexis Tsipras to the United States. The White house is likely to appreciate the loyalty of the new Greek government. After all, Athens declared publicly, to want good relations with the United States not to put on.
There is a conflict with Brussels now threatens?
All well and good, were it not for Brussels, and a European decision to let the “Adrian Darya-1” happen. And now the Greek Prime Minister, particularly against the Confederation of States? In the election campaign, Mitsotakis had promised the Greeks tax relief, of which he has some already implemented into law. In order to keep his promise, he wants to negotiate with Brussels on the Greek debt question and the conditions of repayment more favourable. To do this, but he needs to gain the trust of his European counterparts. Whether his loyal puffs gesture towards Washington here on pleasure, is questionable.
But it’s not just about questions of loyalty. Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world. The Shipping is a multi-billion dollar industry. Ships under the Greek flag are also located in the Persian Gulf. According to the decision of Athens to deny the Iranian Tanker in the entrance to the Greek port, it could lead to retaliation. After Greece dispensed with since last summer completely on Iranian Oil, apply to the relations between Athens and Tehran already strained. An escalation in the Persian Gulf, would certainly not remain without consequences, and the current Dilemma of the Western States in dealing with Iran intensify.
Washington’s unilateral escalation policy
The United States, however, an intensification of the conflict between Iran and Greece is likely to benefit. Greek ships should put Iran under pressure, threatened, or even attacked, Europe could hold on to a de-escalation policy with Tehran. What would be the meaning of US President Donald Trump. After all, he had withdraws unilaterally from the nuclear deal with Iran, and has ever since been a tough sanctions policy. Serious problems between Tehran and Europe should emerge, it would Brussels would be forced to follow the escalation policy to the US President.
For Europe, the crisis of the Iranian oil Tankers is a major setback in the approaches of the last years between the West and Tehran. That right now Greece is beating on the side of the United States, is a further step in the direction of confrontation with Iran.