Middle East 563
Participants: 652 Syria/338 Malta
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: A Malta-registered tanker was shelled by Syrian and Lebanese Muslim
artillery from Lebanon, killing seven of the 11 crewmembers.
345 YUGOSLAVIA/630 IRAN
MID#2820
Dispute Number: 2820
Date(s): August 20, 1987
Participants: 630 Iran/345 Yugoslavia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Iranian commandos attacked and boarded a Yugoslavian ship. They
searched the ship to see if it was carrying Iraqi goods or supplies.
350 GREECE/630 IRAN
MID#2817
Dispute Number: 2817
Date(s): September 1, 1987 to March 22, 1988
Participants: 630 Iran/350 Greece
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: On June 10, 1987, an Iranian-planted submerged mine exploded and hit
the 274,629-ton Greek tanker Ethnic. In early July 1987, an Iranian missile hit the
17,300-ton tanker Nilos Kazantzakis. Greece considered trying to get the United
Nations more involved. On August 27, Greece agreed to mediate the tension in the
Persian Gulf. On September 1, at least three Iranian speedboats fired on the 97,286-
ton Greek tanker Dafni. September 30, Iranian gunboats attacked another Greek
tanker. On November 12 1987, the Greek prime minister pledged to press Iran and
Iraq to stop attacking neutral ships. On November 17, Iran hit another Greek tanker,
and, on November 22, Iranian gunboats attacked a separate Greek tanker. Iranian
rocket-propelled grenades, launched from Iranian gunboats, hit a Greek tanker on
December 16, 1987. On February 4, 1988, Iranian attacks sunk a Greek tanker, and
then gunboats set a Greek tanker on fire on March 22, 1988. Greece began a peace
initiative on March 29, 1988.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 9, 1987. End Date changed from
March 29, 1988.