Saudi Arabia has handed back a tanker owned by Iranian state shipping company NITC which has been docked in Jeddah since May – while condemning its rival for taking a Stena Bulk vessel on Friday.
Reuters reported the 300,000-dwt Happiness I (built 2003) was released this weekend, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry thanking Saudi authorities for their action.
Iranian media had previously reported the tanker to have been held amid a dispute over repair costs.
Despite the release of the tanker, Saudi Arabia has condemned the seizure of the UK-flagged 49,638-dwt Stena Impero (built 2018) by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on Friday.
The Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs said on Twitter: "Any attack on the freedom of navigation is a violation of international law.
"Iran must realize its acts of intercepting ships, including most recently the British ship, are completely unacceptable.
“The world community must take action to deter such behavior," he added.
Read all the latest news on the Stena Impero here.
