Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said that the Grace 1 would be released on Thursday, adding that Gibraltar authorities would not renew the order to detain the oil tanker, The Sun newspaper has reported, according to Russian Sputnik news agency.
According to The Sun, the captain of the Grace 1 reportedly gave the Gibraltar Chief Minister a written undertaking, and Picardo would not ask a judge to extend the detention during a court hearing on Thursday.
Deputy Head of Iran Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Jalil Eslami said on Tuesday that some documents have been exchanged between Iran and UK to facilitate the release of the illegally-detained Iran-operated oil tanker, Grace 1, by the UK.
Iran’s state-run television and radio corporation IRIB reported on Tuesday, citing sources, that the vessel would be released within 48 hours.
The Grace 1 was seized by UK marines on 4 July over an alleged breach of EU sanctions against Syria, followed by Iran's seizing of the UK oil tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran stresses that seizure of the UK-flagged oil tanker took place after it ignored international maritime rules, while calling the UK action in capturing the Iranian supertanker 'an act of piracy.'
KI/PR