Foreign ministry: Iranian oil tanker seized by Greece, released

An Iranian-flagged oil tanker confiscated by Greece six months ago off the Greek waters, has left for its pre-designated destination, the Iranian foreign ministry announced on Wednesday.

The ministry said in a statement, “The Iranian-flagged ship was sailing in international waters toward its destination in April this year when it was forced to take refuge in a Greek port due to unfriendly weather conditions and a technical fault and unfortunately, in a move in violation of international norms and conventions, it was detained and its oil cargo was also confiscated and transferred to a ship chartered by an American company for shipment to the US.”

“Greece took the move by resorting to a ruling by a local court and under the pretext of judicial cooperation with the US,” added the statement.

According to the statement following the planning, legal and judicial steps and intense negotiations, the ruling of the local court of first instance in Greece for confiscation of the Iranian oil cargo in favor of the US was annulled by the appeals and supreme courts of Greece and a verdict was issued for the return of the cargo to Iran and the aforementioned consignment was transferred back to the Iranian oil tanker.

The ministry also added two Greek ships, which were detained in the Persian Gulf waters over the past months due to a legal and judicial dispute, were released and departed for its destination on Wednesday.

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