Iran says, it provided assistance to a foreign tanker in the Gulf after receiving a distress call. <br />''<br />''The Islamic republic's Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the tanker Riah had encountered a technical problem on Tuesday. <br />''<br />''However, a UAE official, who requested anonymity, said the tanker Riah did not send out a distress call. He added UAE is monitoring the situation with its international partners.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday vowed to retaliate its ship seizure by the British. <br />''<br />''On July 4, British Royal Marines helped the Gibraltar authorities detain an Iranian tanker that US officials believe was trying to deliver oil to Syria in violation of separate sets of EU and US sanctions. Iran denies the claim.<br />''<br />''<br />