Agencies-Gaza post
Greek court rules seized Iranian oil must be returned
Athens is “very confident” that the move will lead to the release of two Greek-flagged oil tankers hijacked by Iran, the official said
ATHENS: A Greek regional court ruled that Iranian oil seized in April from a Russian-flagged oil tanker must be returned, a Greek government official said Thursday.
The official added that Athens was “very confident” that the move would lead to the release of two Greek-flagged oil tankers hijacked by Iran in retaliation last month.
The Halkida appeals court made the decision Wednesday with a ruling that has not yet been formalized, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The court ruled that the cargo be released. The Greek government was not involved, “the government official said.
The Russian-flagged oil tanker Pegas had been moored near the island of Evia when the cargo was seized in April in accordance with EU sanctions introduced after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
According to information at the time, the tanker was carrying 115,000 tons of Iranian oil.
The tanker was renamed Lana and Greek authorities said the ship and its crew would be released.
But the oil was withheld at the behest of the US Department of Justice and a process was underway to transfer the cargo to a ship chartered from the United States.
“Half of the cargo is still on the ship. It will have to be loaded and returned, “the Greek government official said.
On May 27, Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards embarked and hijacked two Greek-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf.
Iran’s supreme leader said Saturday that the country’s seizure of two Greek oil tankers late last month was retaliation against Greece for “stealing” Iranian oil.
Iran said it expects the cargo of oil confiscated by Greece to be returned in full, the semi-official news agency Tasnim said Thursday the ambassador of Tehran to Athens, following the Greek court ruling overturning. the original decision to confiscate.
