Iran on Monday (July 22) released for the first time footage showing the crew members of a seized British-flagged tanker aboard their ship in Bandar Abbas. Iran has repeatedly said the crew of the Stena Impero are safe and still on the vessel, since its seizure on Friday (July 19) in the Strait of Hormuz. The video showed the tanker's crew sitting around a table in the discussion, monitoring equipment on the vessel and chefs preparing food in the kitchen. The seizure of the Stena Impero on the world's most important waterway for oil trade has deepened a crisis between Tehran and the West that was triggered in May when Washington tightened sanctions, effectively barring all countries from buying Iranian oil. Britain called on Iran on Monday to release the tanker and its crew immediately, describing the seizure as illegal. Britain on July 4 seized an Iranian tanker, the Grace 1, off the coast of Gibraltar. Britain accused it of violating sanctions against Syria, prompting repeated Iranian threats of retaliation.

Iran releases footage of crew onboard seized British tanker, Indians are safe

A day after Twitter suspended the accounts of several Iranian state media outlets, the social networking service said Saturday it acted after harassment of people linked to the Baha'i faith.

Twitter blocks accounts of Iranian state media outlets

A British-flagged tanker seized by Iran is now at anchor off the port of Bandar Abbas with all its crew aboard after colliding with a fishing boat, authorities said on Saturday.

Seized British-flagged tanker anchored off Iran: Port authority

Iran opened an investigation on Saturday into a British-flagged tanker it alleges collided with a fishing vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions mount in the strategic waterway.

Iran probes British-flagged tanker seized in Strait of Hormuz after 'collision'