Iran Press/Europe: "The tanker could leave on Friday," Fabian Picardo said according to Reuters.
The chief minister added that he expects Iran to act in keeping with what it has said and that he doubts the tanker will end up in Syria.
Grace 1 and its cargo of 2.1 million barrels of oil were seized unlawfully by Britain's naval forces in the strait of Gibraltar under the pretext that the supertanker had been suspected of carrying crude to Syria in breach of the European Union’s unilateral sanctions against the Arab country.
Tehran rejected the claim that the tanker was heading to Syria, slamming the seizure as “maritime piracy.”
The deputy head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation, Jalil Eslami, announced that the oil tanker is flying Iran's flag based on the owner's request, Iran Press reported.
Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 is being renamed by the ship's owner to 'Adrian Darya' and is preparing to sail to the Mediterranean after Gibraltar decided to free the seized ship. 101/218
Read more:
Grace 1 detention was 100% unlawful: Iran's Zarif
Gibraltar releases Iranian oil tanker Grace 1
Iran's impounded Grace 1 supertanker in the Strait of Gibraltar
