Iran releases seized British oil tanker

Iran released British oil tanker, the Stena Impero, detained in the Strait of Hormuz in July for "maritime violations," Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard helicopter hovers around the seized British-flagged tanker Stena Impero in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, July 21, 2019. [File Photo: IC]

Allahmorad Afifipour, the general manager of Iran's Hormozgan Maritime and Ports, confirmed the release of British tanker, saying that the vessel will start its voyage from Iran's Bandar Abbas port to the international waters "soon."

Although the tanker is allowed to leave Iran's waters, "the legal dossier for its violations is still open in Iran's judiciary," Afifipour was quoted as saying.

Iran detained the Stena Impero on July 19, alleging that it had violated the maritime regulations while passing through the Strait of Hormuz two weeks after Britain seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar.

Earlier, Iran released seven crew members of the oil tanker.

The Iranian officials have ruled out any link between Stena Impero's case and British seizure of the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 off the coast of Gibraltar.

The Grace 1, renamed as Adrian Darya 1, was released by the Gibraltar authorities on Aug. 16.