Iran has warned Britain faces “consequences” over its seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.
Iran has demanded the immediate release of Grace 1, which British Royal Marines impounded in Gibraltar last week on suspicion of breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
President Hassan Rouhani said on state television: "You [Britain] are the initiator of insecurity and you will realise the consequences later.
"Now you are so hopeless that, when one of your tankers wants to move in the region, you have to bring your frigates because you are scared.
“Then why do you commit such acts? You should instead allow navigation to be safe.”
He was speaking after European powers accused Iran of "pursuing activities inconsistent with its commitments" under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Mr Rouhani said: "You [Europeans] do not need to worry about Iran, your concern must be over the United States, which has violated this whole commitment and undermined international obligations.”
Britain, Germany, France, Russia, China and Iran are the remaining parties to the deal, which the United States abandoned last year.
Reporting by Reuters.
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