US Warns Greece against Hosting Iranian Oil Tanker
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The US has warned Greece against hosting the Iranian tanker released by Gibraltar days earlier, saying those who facilitate the vessel would face immigration and potential criminal consequences.
“We have conveyed our strong position to the Greek government on the matter, as well as all ports in the Mediterranean that should be forewarned about facilitating this vessel,” the US State Department said.
Iran has yet to comment and the Greek foreign ministry didn’t immediately return a request for comment, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
The Iranian tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously called the Grace 1, was moving eastward toward Kalamata, Greece, and is expected to arrive there on Monday, according to shipping tracker MarineTraffic.
The tanker left Gibraltar’s waters late Sunday after the territory’s Justice Ministry rejected a warrant from the US Justice Department seeking its seizure for alleged violations of American sanctions. Gibraltar officials said the territory follows the European Union’s laws, not the US’s.
The departure had been delayed by the US warrant and difficulty finding a crew, after Gibraltar released the ship last week upon receiving assurances from Tehran that the 2.1 million barrels of crude oil the vessel was carrying wouldn’t go to Syria. Unlike the US, the EU doesn’t prohibit Iranian oil sales in general.
A local shipping-services provider, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Monday the vessel planned to get fresh supplies and a new crew in Kalamata.
The authorities in Gibraltar ruled on Thursday that the Iranian vessel Adrian Darya 1 should be released, defying a US request hours earlier to seize the ship. They also released the ship’s crew from detention.
On July 4, the British Royal Marines seized the giant Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar for trying to take oil to Syria allegedly in violation of EU sanctions.
Tehran maintained that the supertanker was not bound for Syria and its seizure has taken place at the behest of the US.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry had summoned the British envoy to Tehran several times in protest at the UK navy’s move.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had warned London that it will definitely pay the price for the illegal seizure of the tanker in international waters.
