Aug 20, 2019, 1:49 PM

No formal request from Adrian Darya 1 to dock at Greek port: report

No formal request from Adrian Darya 1 to dock at Greek port: report

TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (MNA) – While Iran has not disclosed Adrian Darya 1′s intended destination, Greek Shipping Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis said on Tuesday that so far Greek authorities have not received any formal request from the the tanker to dock at the port of Kalamata.

The Grace 1, renamed to Adrian Darya 1, was released from detention off the British territory of Gibraltar on Sunday and is reportedly heading toward the port of Kalamata in southern Greece.

According to ship tracking data, it is expected to arrive in Kalamata this Sunday.

Speaking to broadcaster Skai on Tuesday morning, Plakiotakis said the matter is being closely monitored by the Greek Foreign and Shipping ministries.

Adrian Darya, after having its crew and name changed, left Gibraltar region for international waters on Monday morning.

Despite all US pressures and requests, Gibraltar government eventually ordered the release of the illegally-detained tanker.

Iran's Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad confirmed Monday that the supertanker has started its journey in international waters 45 days after being seized in Gibraltar.

The announcement came just before the US Department of Justice unveiled a warrant for the seizure of the Iran-operated ship.

Baeidinejad wrote on Twitter that the act of having the Iranian oil tanker renamed is in no relation with skirting the US sanctions, since the tanker is not sanctioned and sails under the aegis of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

Britain’s naval forces unlawfully seized the vessel and its cargo of 2.1 million barrels of oil in the Strait of Gibraltar on July 4 under the pretext that the supertanker had been suspected of carrying crude to Syria in violation of the European Union’s unilateral sanctions against the Arab country.

Tehran rejected London’s claim that the tanker was heading to Syria, slamming the seizure as “piracy.”

MNA/PR

News Code 149095

Tags

Your Comment

You are replying to: .
  • captcha