Iran Press/Iran news: The British territory of Gibraltar on Thursday is expected to release the Iranian oil tanker seized by Royal Marines in the Mediterranean in July, the Sun newspaper reported, citing sources close to Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
Picardo would not apply to renew an order to detain Grace 1, the report said, adding that he is now satisfied that the oil tanker is no longer heading to Syria.
Britain had said the vessel was violating European sanctions by taking oil to Syria, a charge Iran denies.
"There is no reason to keep Grace 1 in Gibraltar a moment longer if we no longer believe it is in breach of sanctions against the Syrian regime," the newspaper quoted a source close to Picardo as saying.
The British navy seized an Iranian tanker at Gibraltar on Thursday (July 4th) at the request of the United States.
London claims that the tanker had been carrying Iranian oil to Syria, which is under European Union’s sanctions but Iran says first, the tanker was not headed to Syria, and second, Iran is not an EU member and also not subject to any European oil embargo.
Iran’s Deputy FM Abbas Araghchi rejected the British claim, saying the tanker wasn’t heading for Syria at all.
Later in the month, Iran seized an oil tanker sailing under the British ensign in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf for failing to respect international maritime rules, According to Iranian officials, the tanker had failed to respond to pertinent authorities after an accident involving an Iranian fishing boat and changed route instead.
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