Greece Releases Iranian Tanker - Tasnim News Agency

Greece has released an Iranian oil tanker that had been confiscated under the US’ pressure, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said.

According to a statement issued by the PMO on Tuesday, the Greek government ordered the release of the ship and its cargo despite sustained US efforts to do otherwise.

“The Greek government has eventually ordered the return of the cargo to its owner and lifted the seizure order thanks to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s decisive and prompt actions, the pursuit of the matter by relevant bodies, and the support from the Minister of Roads and Urban Development (Rostam Qassemi),” read the statement.

Late last month, Reuters quoted an unnamed Greek source as saying that the US Department of Justice had confiscated 700,000 barrels of the Iranian oil cargo.

The source said that the oil cargo had been transferred to another ship hired by Washington and will be sent to the US.

At the time, the PMO described the US seizure of the Iranian oil cargo as an “act of piracy” that was “in violation of international standards”, Press TV reported.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also condemned the unacceptable surrender of Greece to illegal US pressures and reiterated that the seizure was an example of international piracy.

Days after the seizure, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf over violations.

Tehran and Athens had friendly relations before the unilateral US imposition of sanctions against Iran and countries working with it. The export of Iran’s oil to Greece was halted as a result of the bans.