- Title: Detained Iranian tanker awaits green light to leave Gibraltar
- Date: 14th August 2019
- Summary: GIBRALTAR (AUGUST 14, 2019) (REUTERS) BRITISH UNION JACK FLAG ON A ROCK /SIGN READING (English) READING "NO DIVING"/DETAINED IRANIAN TANKER GRACE 1 OFF THE GIBRALTAR COAST SAIL BOAT NEXT TO GRACE 1 PEOPLE AT NEARBY BEACH TWO PEOPLE SWIMMING / GRACE 1 IN BACKGROUND BRITISH NAVY PATROL BOAT GOING PAST GRACE 1 BRITISH NAVY PATROL BOAT BRITISH PATROL GIBRALTAR COASTLINE BRITISH PATROL DINGHY GOING PAST GRACE 1 AIR FORCE PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD GRACE 1 PEOPLE AT BEACH VARIOUS OF BOAT CLOSE TO GRACE 1 GRACE 1 BRITISH PATROL DINGHY GOING PAST GRACE 1 AND NEXT TO CIVILIAN BOAT BRITISH PATROL DINGHY VARIOUS OF GRACE 1
- Embargoed: 28th August 2019 18:48
- Keywords: Iran Oil tanker Gibraltar Grace 1
- Location: GIBRALTAR
- City: GIBRALTAR
- Country: Gibraltar
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AS6Y5VR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An Iranian tanker remained detained off the coast of Gibraltar on Wednesday (August 14) as speculation over its release grew ahead of a hearing set for August 15 which is set to determine the Grace 1's fate.
On Tuesday (August 13) Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, quoting unidentified Gibraltar authorities, said the tanker would be freed by that evening, but an official Gibraltar source denied the report.
The commandeering of the Grace 1 on July 4 by British Royal Marines in the Mediterranean exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West and led to retaliatory moves in Gulf waterways used to ship oil.
Britain accused the vessel of violating European sanctions by taking oil to Syria - a charge Tehran denies - and in retaliation Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps troops seized the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 for alleged marine violations.
The Gulf tanker crisis has added to worsening hostilities since Washington pulled out of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers, under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for lifting most international sanctions on Tehran.
The Iranian capture of the Stena Impero drew condemnation from Britain and other European parties to the nuclear deal that have been trying to salvage it by shielding Iran's economy from reimposed and toughened U.S. sanctions.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Mariano Valladolid, Anna Valderrama) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
