CEO of Seized Tanker's Operator Speaks to CNN; Planes from South Korea, Japan, Russia, China in Skirmish
SOARES: You are watching CNN. And this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Isa Soares. Welcome back to the show. Now Iran is extending an olive branch of sorts to Boris Johnson. Now set to become British Prime Minister. But it comes with a thinly veiled warning. Iran's foreign minister congratulated Johnson on Twitter today. Saying his government does not want confrontation. But he added the following. We have 1,500 miles of Persian Gulf coastline, these are our waters, and we will protect them. As you can see on the screen. Well Iran says a British flagged tanker seized last week violated international maritime rules. A charge Britain denies. Let's get the latest from the region now. Matthew Chance is following developments form Khor Fakkan in the UAE. And journalist, Ramin Mostaghim, is in Tehran. Matthew, let me start with you. Boris Johnson is taking over as Prime Minister as of tomorrow, this will no doubt be one of the most immediate matters he will have to attend to.</s>MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is certainly going to be that. He will be plunging headfirst into the very difficult waters, diplomatically speaking, of the relationship between Iran and Britain. Waters that have been made more treacherous by the fact that on Friday last week Iran seized that British oil tanker -- British flagged oil tanker -- with 23 crew members on board. It's currently holding the tanker at 200 nautical miles or so to the north of where I am standing right now in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas under close Iranian guard, and with an Iranian flag flying from its mast. The policy that has been announced yesterday by the British government is that it is demanding release of that tanker. It is putting together a military force to patrol these international waters around the Persian Gulf to guarantee the freedom of navigation as they called it. The big question is going to be whether Boris Johnson as Prime Minister -- once he becomes Prime Minister -- is going to pursue that same diplomatic strategy. Still reserve the right to conduct diplomatic relations with Iran. Still believe that Iran's nuclear deal -- which the United States pulled out of a year ago -- is still relevant and still can be renewed and saved from complete extinction. Or will he take a more confrontational line? Perhaps align himself a little bit more and the British government a little bit more with the very hardline stance of the United States and the Trump administration. They of course believe that Iran is a malign force in the region and should be confronted at every opportunity. So there is a good deal of questions, a good deal of questions over what the policy of the Boris Johnson administration will be. As I say, as he plunges headfirst into these very treacherous diplomatic waters.</s>SOARES: Matthew Chance there for us. I want to go to journalists, Ramin Mostaghim, who is in Tehran. And Ramin, what we saw was a congratulations from Javad Zarif. But also a thinly veiled warning. How is Boris Johnson's new position as Prime Minister, how is that being received in Tehran?</s>RAMIN MOSTAGHIM, JOURNALIST: It's a mixed feeling here. And as you mentioned, they expect him to be kinder than his predecessor. Although as you know during his campaign to win the premiership, he promised to be tough, and tougher than Theresa May. Iran expect him to be kinder although in his campaign he has been promising he that he would be hardliner in next term as the Prime Minister. But anyway, Iran is bracing for the new sanctions and come what may, this is a policy because Iran believes that it was Britain provoking a tit for tat policy, and there are bracing for bad days to come. And they are not, I mean, butting or trying to be tough, as tough as Johnson he promised to be. So we can -- it is a big deal and we have to wait 24 hours until new Prime Minister will elaborate exactly what he wants, what he expects. Anyhow, Iran is bracing for bad days to come. At the same time, some believe that sovereignty of Iran has been violated and they try to be tough, too. And tit for tat policy still is prevailing -- Isa.</s>SOARES: Yes, we shall see exactly what his policy is on this. Ramin Mostaghim, thank you very much, joining us there live from Tehran. Well the CEO of the company operating the seized British flagged tanker says the ship did not violent any laws. Eric Hanell spoke exclusively with CNN's Melissa Bell.</s>MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT: The tanker that was seized by Iran last Friday is of course British flagged. But it is an international crew that operates it, and it is owned and operated by a Swedish company, Stena Bulk. We had the opportunity to speak to its CEO, Eric Hanell. We began by asking him what he knew of exactly what had happened last Friday. He squarely contradicted Tehran's claims, saying that the ship which of course can be followed here in Gothenburg where the company is based. Thanks to radar, thanks to all of the equipment on board had clearly been in international or Omani waters and that it had not contrary to Tehran's claims flouted any laws. We also asked him about what opportunity he'd had to have any communication with Iranian officials.</s>ERIC HANELL, CEO, STENA BULK: And one request we have sent recently which was yesterday was that we should have access to the crew. And have confirmed that they received the request but we're still waiting for reply. So it's not dead silence in that respect to us, but the communication back is very, very limited.</s>BELL: What do you know about fate of the crew?</s>HANELL: We see the position through the technical means that we have. We have heard through third sources, and we have seen it on the news, of course, that it looks like the crew is in good health, considering the circumstances. Of course, a lot of psychological pressure on them, I'm sure. But it looks like they're all in reasonably good health. Nevertheless, of course the most important things for us is confirm it our self as well and to make sure that we want a direct line to them and talk to the crew. And make sure that they are in good shape and for sure also make sure that they get connected to their relatives as well.</s>BELL: Eric Hanell there, who said that he was working hard with Swedish and British authorities to gain that access to his crew. He did, however, contradict the British foreign secretary who told the Commons on Monday that there had been a failure on the part of the ship to give adequate notice to the British Navy which might in other circumstances have been able to intervene before it was taken to Iranian waters. Eric Hanell flatly contradicted that, saying that was not the case and he would be very surprised to hear any such claim. He will, however, now be having to deal with a new team of British politicians, an entirely new British government. He said he's hoping to travel to London in the next couple days to be able to get acquainted with them.</s>SOARES: Melissa Bell reporting there. Well fighter jets from four countries stage a dramatic confrontation off the coast of South Korea as well as Japan. South Korea says its ships fired hundreds of warning shots at a Russian military plane that flew over two small disputed islands. Seoul says the plane violated its airspace. Two Chinese and two Russian bombers were also on the scene, apparently in support of the Russian aircraft. Now Japan scrambled its fighters to the area as well. South Korea and Japan both claim ownership of the islands. Russia denies that it violated anyone's air space. We'll keep on top of that for you. And still ahead this hour, 10 Downing Street will soon have a new resident as Boris Johnson is chosen to become Britain's next Prime Minister. Is he the leader that will finally deliver Brexit? We'll have that next.