Iranian tanker seized by Britain prepares to set sail after release

The Iranian tanker that was seized by Britain will set sail into the Mediterranean after its release, Iranian shipping officials confirmed on Friday.

The ship, Grace 1, was seized by British Royal Marines on July 4, causing deterioration in the relations between Iran and the West. It was suspected of violating European Union sanctions by taking oil to Syria. The ship will leave from British territory Gibraltar after being renamed and switching to the Iranian flag.

“At the owner's request, the Grace 1 will depart for the Mediterranean after being reflagged under the Islamic Republic of Iran's flag and renamed as Adrian Darya for the voyage,” said Jalil Eslami, the deputy head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organisation. The ship was of Russian origin and Panama-flagged and is carrying two million barrels of Iranian oil, he added.

However, the US has requested that the ship be detained, in which case the matter could go to court, authorities said. The US state department said the ship was helping Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States.

Iran and the US have been at loggerheads since President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Iran in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.

Gibraltar authorities said that it had received written assurances from Iran that the Grace 1 would not discharge its oil in Syria or any country subject to EU sanctions.

Following the Grace 1's release, Britain renewed its demand that Iran release the British-flagged tanker it seized in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19. The Stena Impero was seized by Iran in a tit-for-tat move, charging the British ship in violation of “international maritime rules”.

(With inputs from agencies)