Britain’s illegal seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off the Spanish coast has elicited wide-ranging international condemnation, notably from Spanish and Russian quarters.

The Russian foreign ministry has already condemned the seizure in the strongest terms saying it was “deliberately” aimed to “aggravate” the situation around Iran and Syria.

Most analysts believe the UK is pursuing several goals by its illegal seizure and continuing detention of the Iranian super-tanker Grace 1. These aims include deliberately inflaming tensions between Iran and the US by taking aim at the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA.

Another British goal might be to sabotage the career prospects of the Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell. In the immediate aftermath of the commando-style seizure of the Grace 1, Mr. Borrell condemned the act on the grounds that the tanker had been seized in Spanish territorial waters without Madrid’s permission.

A progressive socialist, Mr. Borrell is set to succeed Federica Mogherini as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The prospect of Mr. Borrell succeeding Ms. Mogherini as the EU’s foreign policy chief has rattled the US and Israel. In its July 3rd edition, a leading newspaper of the Zionist regime, The Times of Israel, described Mr. Borrell as “tough on Israel, fond of Iran” and admitted that the Zionist entity is “wary” of the incoming EU foreign policy chief.

Analysts are wondering if the UK was setting a trap for Mr. Borrell by placing him between a rock and a hard place. As the seizure of the Grace 1 took place in Spanish territorial waters, Mr. Borrell was duty-bound to condemn it. But the condemnation carries a good deal of risk as the UK and US can accuse him of being soft on sanctions enforcement.

By the same token, had Mr. Borrell failed to condemn the illegal seizure of the Grace 1, he would have appeared weak in the face of a significant violation of Spanish sovereignty.

Either way, Britain, which appears to be fully co-ordinated with the US on this issue, gains by undermining Mr. Borrell’s leadership prospects.

As Mr. Borrell is the strongest candidate to succeed Ms. Mogherini, his failure to do so would have significantly advanced Britain and America’s plans to subvert the EU.