ATHENS (Reuters) – An Iranian-flagged tanker seized by Greece in April, a part of whose cargo was confiscated by the United States, was being towed to the port of Piraeus on Saturday, Greek coast guard officers stated, after Greek authorities authorized its launch.
For over two months the Iranian-flagged Lana, previously Pegas, has been anchored off the Greek island of Evia in a diplomatic deadlock which has strained Athens’ relations with Tehran amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States.
“It left Karystos at 0630 am (0330 GMT) and is predicted to attain Piraeus round 1000 pm,” one official stated.
Greek authorities in April impounded Lana and its oil cargo with 19 Russian crew members on board close to the coast of Evia, due to sanctions following a authorized motion by the United States.
The ship was later launched due to issues relating to its possession, however a part of the Iranian oil cargo had already been transferred to one other ship, Ice Energy, which was employed by the United States and is moored off Piraeus port.
The elimination of oil from the Lana prompted Iranian forces final month to seize two Greek tankers in the Middle East Gulf and sail them again to Iran after Tehran warned it might take “punitive motion” in opposition to Athens.
Following an enchantment by an Iranian firm on June 7, a Greek judicial panel overturned the preliminary courtroom order that allowed the confiscation of the cargo on behalf of the United States.
That resolution has cleared the best way for Lana to retrieve the cargo that was transferred to Ice Energy.
Until final week nonetheless Lana, which nonetheless has engine issues, was being detained by one other firm due to money owed owed for towing companies. It was formally launched after the quantity owed was paid off, authorized sources informed Reuters.
(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou and Renee Maltezou in Athens and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Jan Harvey)
