British-flagged oil tanker seized by Iran, Stena Impero, was set to sail on Friday. (Image via BBC)

Stena Impero freed from Iran

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
International
Sep 27, 2019
1693
British-flagged tanker, Stena Impero, had set its sails from Bandar Abbas port, according to the statement by the owner of the oil tanker, Stena Bulk of Sweden.

Earlier this month, Iran had also released seven of Impero’s 23 crews on humanitarian grounds. Stena Impero had set its destination to Port Rashid, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), about 250 km away from the Strait of Hormuz. It is estimated that the British-flagged oil tanker will reach its destination within half a day.

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, stated that the seizure and detention order for Stena Impero had been lifted. However, the investigation over the oil tanker is still ongoing.

In July, the tanker was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz accusing it of violating maritime rules, just two weeks after the United Kingdom (U.K) Royal Marines seized Iranian vessel, Grace 1, in Gibraltar. Grace 1 was seized, accused that it had violated EU sanctions on Syria.

Later on, Iran revealed that the seizure of Stena Impero was retaliation for Grace 1. Also, to release Steno Impero, the U.K must exchange it with Grace 1’s freedom. The U.K then released Grace 1 in August.

Source: https://en.trend.az/iran/3124657.html

Politics , Seizure , Iran , U.K , Stena-Impero , Grace-1 , Strait-of-Hormuz