Tehran: Two days after a Gibraltar court ordered the release of Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, Tehran on Monday said that the fate of seized British-flagged tanker Stena Impero depends on the court's verdict.
Iran-flagged Adrian Darya 1, previously known as Grace 1, lifted its anchor and began moving away from Gibraltar late on Sunday.
The vessel had been detained for a month in the British overseas territory for allegedly attempting to breach European Union sanctions by carrying oil to Syria.
Shortly after the tanker's detention in early July near Gibraltar — a British overseas territory — Tehran seized the UK flagged Stena Impero over allegedly breaching maritime violation which remains held by the Islamic republic.
According to analysts, the Iranian ship's release by Gibraltar could mean that the Stena Impero goes free.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said that 'there is no specific relation' between the two ships and the Stena Impero's nautical violations are still under investigation.
In response to a warrant issued by the US Department of Justice on Friday, Mousavi warned that if Washington attempts to seize the Adrian Darya 1 in international waters, it will face severe consequences.
Iranian court to decide fate of seized UK tanker
Iran-flagged Adrian Darya 1, previously known as Grace 1, lifted its anchor and began moving away from Gibraltar late on Sunday. Now Tehran said that the fate of UK-flagged tanker seized by Iran depends on the court's verdict.
Iranian court to decide fate of UK tanker