Alwaght- Iran said on Tuesday that Britain may free its oil tanker Grace 1 illegally seized by Britain's Royal Marines, after some documents were exchanged that would help the seized ship’s release.
"Britain is interested in releasing Iran’s oil tanker Grace 1 ... following the exchange of some documents, we hope the release will take place soon,” the deputy head of Iran’s ports and Maritime Organisation, Jalil Eslami, said in remarks reported by IRNA news agency.
A diplomatic standoff broke out between Tehran and London after Britain’s naval forces unlawfully seized Grace 1 and its cargo in the Strait of Gibraltar.
London claimed the supertanker was suspected of carrying crude to Syria in violation of the European Union’s unilateral sanctions against the Arab country.
Tehran has condemned the seizure as “maritime piracy”, vehemently rejecting London’s claim that the ship had been bound for Syria.
