Briefing reporters on Monday, Mousavi said the British Ambassador to Tehran had been summoned twice and there had been consultations with European diplomats regarding the issue.

British Royal Marines seized the supertanker Grace 1 on Thursday for allegedly trying to transport oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.

He continued: “The necessary documents have been provided and a lawyer has been hired regarding the case.”

Mousavi further said that the VLCC was not headed towards Syria unlike what has been announced in media outlets.

The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said: "We ask the British government to release the Iranian crude oil carrier. We regard this seizure as piracy, and would not accede to it, and of course we have given the necessary warnings.”