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ATHENS, Aug 12 (Reuters) – An Iranian-flagged tanker is reloading oil that was confiscated by the United States earlier this year after Greek authorities approved the release of the cargo, officials said on Friday. sources familiar with the matter.
The case has strained relations between Athens and Tehran amid growing tensions between Iran and the United States after Washington hired a tanker in April to seize oil aboard the tanker Lana, which was anchored offshore of Greece.
The withdrawal of oil from the Lana, the former Pegas, prompted Iranian forces in May to seize two Greek tankers in the Middle Eastern Gulf, which have yet to be released. Read more
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The Lana had been anchored off the Greek port of Piraeus since late July while waiting to reload part of its cargo of oil held on the tanker Ice Energy, which was chartered by Washington and was due to sail to the United States before the Supreme Court of Greece rules on the cargo to be returned to Iran. Read more
“The transfer has begun,” a source familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A second source said the transfer process started on Friday and should be completed within days.
There was no immediate response from Iran on Friday, which had previously warned of “punitive action” against Athens over the confiscation.
A US State Department spokesman said in July that Washington was “respectful that this case went through the Greek judicial process.”
Claire Jungman, chief of staff of US advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, which monitors Iran-linked tanker traffic through ship and satellite tracking, said Greece, as an ally of the US United, “had the opportunity to take a stand”.
“Instead, this ruling by the Greek courts signals to Iran that there are no repercussions for its hijacking of tankers,” Jungman told Reuters.
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Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Jonathan Saul Editing by Mark Potter
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