Greece’s Shipping Ministry said on Wednesday that two Greek-flagged tankers seized by Iran in May have been released after months of negotiations between the two sides.
The ministry said that the vessels Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon have left Iran for the port of Piraeus.
Αναχώρησαν σήμερα, μετά από πολύμηνες συνομιλίες με το #Ιράν τα υπό ελληνική σημαία #πλοία «Prudent Warrior» και «Delta Poseidon» που παρέμεναν δεσμευμένα από τις 27 Μαΐου 2022.#ΥΝΑΝΠ #Πλακιωτάκης #Κατσαφάδος https://t.co/JDRiZU7Pdu
— Υπουργείο Ναυτιλίας & Νησιωτικής Πολιτικής (@naftilias) November 16, 2022
Earlier in the day, two sources familiar with the matter had told Reuters that Greece and Iran had reached a deal for the release of the two Greek-flagged tankers seized by Tehran in the Gulf in May.
Ship tracking data showed the vessels Delta Poseidon and MT Prudent Warrior were underway from Iran, Reuters reported.
The two tankers had been raided by squads of “Revolutionary Guards of Iran” in international waters on May 25, 2022 and were lead to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
The seizure of the two Greek tankers had been prompted by the confiscation of oil carried by the Iranian-flagged tanker “Lana” while it was anchored in the port of Piraeus, following a request for judicial assistance submitted to Greek authorities by the United States.
The oil shipment, owned by Iranian interests, was ultimately returned to the “Lana” by court order.
The crews of the two Greek tankers had already been replaced, while the seizure concerned only the two ships.
The tanker Lana has reportedly also left Piraeus port, bound for the port of Istanbul.
