A tanker at the hub of a dispute between Britain and Iran will soon be released, officials said on Tuesday.
British marines took control of the 300,600-dwt Grace 1 (built 1997) in early July with the ship since detained in Gibraltar.
Today Dryad Global suggested the tanker could soon be released following a signal it would head for Morocco.
Now reports in Iran are offering further support to the suggestion the vessel could soon be in the move.
Jalil Eslami, the deputy head of Iran’s ports and Maritime Organisation, told the IRNA news agency: “Britain is interested in releasing Iran’s oil tanker Grace 1.”
“Following the exchange of some documents, we hope the release will take place soon,” he said, according to Reuters.
British forces seized the ship on suspicion of smuggling Syrian oil to Iran.
The action is widely believed to have spurred Iran’s capture of the 50,000-dwt Stena Impero (built 2018) a few weeks later.
Iranian forces continue to hold the Stena Bulk vessel.
