Theft: US steals Iranian oil cargo from Russian ship in Greece

247, with Sputnik and international companies – As part of a piracy operation, the United States seized Iranian oil cargo from a ship operated by 19 Russian personnel and was seized by Greek authorities near the island of Evia last month.

An anonymous source from the Greek Shipping Ministry told Reuters that the US judiciary had informed Athens of the origin of the cargo and that the oil had been transferred to a US ship to be shipped to the United States.

Increasing US military presence in Greece could escalate tensions between Athens and Ankara

Experts warn that the growing U.S. military presence in Greece could lead to unpleasant scenes in the Aegean Sea.

With the recent approval of the Mutual Security Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) between Greece and the United States by the Greek Parliament, Washington has approached three military bases in addition to the military base already operating in Greece.

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The Athenian government said the agreement should be seen as an indicator of how important Greece is to the United States. However, an expert warns that the growing US presence in Greece could lead to undesirable situations in the Aegean region.

In an interview with Turkey’s Anatolia news agency, Ali Bakhir, an assistant professor of international relations at the University of Qatar, said that using Greece to harm Turkey was an “old and conventional tactic” of some Western powers.

“The deployment of more US troops in Greece will split NATO forces and encourage Athens to adopt dangerous policies and often play a destructive role,” he said.

This is very dangerous for regional stability and security, and Athens may cross the border, he added. Moreover, Bakhir says that if things escalate between Athens and Ankara, the United States will not come to save Greece, as some mistakenly believe.

He spoke in support of the US Alliance, but said that maintaining some independence was important for Syria and Libya.

Finally, he said, Turkey should be aware that more US positions in Greece could make Athens “more irresponsible.”

* Sputnik, RT and Reuters information

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