Iran accuses Israel of 'piracy' for seizure of Gaza aid flotilla

<article data-history-node-id="439357" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iran-accuses-israel-piracy-seizure-gaza-aid-flotilla" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iran-accuses-israel-piracy-seizure-gaza-aid-flotilla" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Iran accuses Israel of 'piracy' for seizure of Gaza aid flotilla </span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p style="line-height:1.38">The Iranian foreign ministry has condemned Israel for raiding and detaining activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza.</p> <p>The foreign ministry’s spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, called Israel’s “attack” on the flotilla in international waters an act of “piracy” and said it is “a blow to the awakened conscience of humanity”.&nbsp;</p> <p>He urged the international community to support the flotilla and press for the release of all detained activists.</p> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="A boat makes a symbolic leave from Barcelona's Port Vell on April 12, 2026 as the departure of a new humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip Josep LAGO / AFP" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e38b23ed-896c-45ec-835c-ea20f0306f4f" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/000_A7J28LZ.jpg" width="1920" height="1080" alt="A boat makes a symbolic leave from Barcelona's Port Vell on April 12, 2026 as the departure of a new humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip Josep LAGO / AFP" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>A boat departs from Barcelona's Port Vell as part of a humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, on 12 April 2026 (Josep Lago/AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img alt height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>