Iran tanker retrieves oil seized by US, set to leave Greece

An Iranian-flagged tanker has retrieved an oil cargo which the United States had confiscated and is set to leave Greece, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday, Reuters reports.

The seizure from the “Lana”, formerly the “Pegas”, prompted Iranian forces in May to seize two Greek tankers in the Middle East Gulf which have not yet been released.

The United States had hired a tanker in April to impound the oil onboard the “Lana” tanker, which had been anchored off Greece.

The oil was then partly removed and placed aboard the “Ice Energy” tanker, which had been chartered by Washington and had been expected to sail to the United States before Greece’s Supreme Court ruled that the cargo should be returned to Iran.

READ: Greece hands  over Iran oil it seized from Russian tanker to US

“The reloading process is complete,” one of the sources said. Another source said it was completed on Sunday.

The embassy of Iran in Athens said on 12 August on Twitter that the vessel would sail to Iran after the reloading was completed.

It was not clear if “Lana”, which had engine problems, could sail unassisted.

For over two months, “Lana” remained under arrest off the Greek island of Evia, near the town of Karystos. It was tugged to Piraeus, following court orders that allowed its release.

The tanker has been anchored off Piraeus since late July.