Middle East/North Africa

Iran says seized UK tanker is ‘free to leave’

Iran has announced that the British tanker detained by Iran two months ago is “free to leave.”

Iranian officials said Monday that the oil tanker Stena Impero will be able to continue its voyage after the legal process that began when the ship was seized has concluded, CNN reported, citing Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.

{mosads}Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei did not mention when the tanker would set sail, and the owner of the tank said the ship remains in the port of Bandar Abbas. 

Iran detained the tanker for alleged marine violations on July 19, two weeks following a British seizure of an Iranian tanker. The Iranian tanker was freed in late August.

The report comes a day prior to a scheduled meeting between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations General Assembly, CNN reported.

On Sunday, Johnson said authorities in his country strongly suspect that Iran was behind the attacks on Saudi oil refineries earlier this month.