Iran had fiercely protested the motion and final month ordered the armed takeover of two Greek-flagged tankers within the Persian Gulf. The Greek Overseas Ministry branded the motion as “tantamount to piracy.”
“The motion taken (in opposition to the Greek tankers) was utterly unjustified and unprovoked. We’ve stated that from the primary second,” Greek authorities spokesman Giannis Oikonomou stated. He stated the “justice system in our nation operates independently and this has been demonstrated on a number of events.”
A Greek official stated final month that the Iranian tanker’s cargo was being transferred to a different vessel following a request from the USA. Greek media reported that the Lana was believed to be carrying greater than 100,000 tons of Iranian crude, in breach of United States and European Union sanctions on Iran.
Greek authorities seized the Lana when it anchored off Karystos on April 15. On the time, it was flying a Russian flag, had not too long ago modified its title from Pegas to Lana, and was carrying a crew of 19 Russians.
Greece’s coast guard stated the tanker was seized as a result of suspicions it had breached EU sanctions imposed in opposition to Russia over the warfare in Ukraine.
