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Gibraltar authorities release Iranian tanker Grace 1

15 August 2019 18:32 (UTC +04:00)

The Grace 1 oil tanker has been released from detention by Gibraltar authorities, APA reports citing Gibraltar Chronicle newspaper.

Earlier, UK media reported that the British colonial territory's administrators would not be renewing the order to detain the tanker, which was boarded by Royal Marines and placed under detention in early July amid claims that it was smuggling Iranian crude oil to a refinery in Syria, in contravention of EU sanctions.

Earlier Thursday, amid reports of the commercial vessel's imminent release, the US launched an appeal to take control over the vessle "on a number of allegations," which the Gibraltar government promised to consider.

However, Gibraltar Supreme Court Chief Justice Anthony Dudley denied claims of a US application to take over the detention of the vessel. "That's not before me," he was quoted as saying. "There are no applications in relation to the US letters of request [for mutual legal assistance]."