Greece’s shipping ministry informed that two Greek-flagged vessels seized by Iran in May have been released after months of negotiations between the two sides.
According to Reuters, the vessels Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon have left Iran, while other information had earlier reported that Greece and Iran had reached a deal for the release of the two Greek-flagged tankers.
Now, ship tracking data show that the two vessels are underway from Iran.
Iran detained the two tankers in May in retaliation to the confiscation of oil by the US from an Iranian-flagged tanker in Greece. The ship, previously called Pegas and renamed Lana in March, had reported an engine problem in April.
It was headed to the southern Peloponnese peninsula to offload its cargo on to another tanker but rough seas forced it to moor just off Karystos where it was seized, according to the Athens News Agency.
However, a Greek court overturned an earlier ruling that allowed the confiscation by the US of part of the Iranian-flagged tanker’s Iranian oil cargo off the Greek coast, three sources familiar with the matter said.
The ship was later released and its oil cargo was returned to its owner.
