British-flagged tanker impounded in Iran 'is free to leave'

23 September 2019, 14:47

Iran Detains British Tanker
Iran Detains British Tanker. Picture: Getty
Rachael Kennedy

By Rachael Kennedy

A British-flagged tanker impounded in Iran since mid-July is now free to leave, local media has quoted a government spokesman as saying.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, spokesman Ali Rabei told a press conference on Monday that legal proceedings against the tanker were complete, and preparations were underway for it to depart.

The Stena Impero tanker, which is owned by Sweden’s Stena Bulk, was seized on 19 July as it travelled through the Strait of Hormuz.

Its detention came just two weeks after the UK seized an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar in a similar such incident.

This back-and-forth placed increased pressure on a relationship that has grown increasingly tense between Iran and the West since the US pulled out of an international nuclear treaty last year.

Meanwhile, the UK joined the US on Monday to blame Iran for recent drone and cruise missile strikes on oil installations in Saudi Arabia.

“We think it is very likely indeed that Iran was indeed responsible for using both [unmanned aerial vehicles], both drones and cruise missiles,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, before refusing to rule out the possibility of a military intervention.

“We will consider in what way we could be useful if asked, and depending on what the exact plan is,” he said.

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

American Easter egg

White House’s annual Easter egg roll to be attended by 40,000 people

Barbers in Paris

Proposal to ban discrimination over a person’s hair passes first legal hurdle

Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian Authority names new government following pressure to reform

Arvind Kejriwal

Opposition leader Kejriwal locked up for further four days, court rules

Resident clears rubble from home

Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks

Pope Francis

Pope urges priests to avoid ‘clerical hypocrisy’ in Maundy Thursday speech

Wagner mercenaries

Wagner mercenaries helping to kill civilians in Mali, say human rights groups

Rescuers searching through rubble

Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon