GIBRALTAR: Gibraltar’s Supreme Court ruled Friday that a seized Iranian tanker suspected of breaching sanctions by shipping oil to Syria can be detained for 30 more days, the British territory’s attorney general said.
The Grace 1 supertanker, carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil, was intercepted by British Royal Marines and Gibraltar’s police on July 4 as it transited through waters claimed by Gibraltar, which is located on Spain’s southern tip.
An initial order by the court authorizing the detention of the vessel would lapse after Friday. The order can be renewed for up to 90 days.
“We look forward to continuing to work constructively and positively with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to facilitate the release of the Grace 1 pursuant to the satisfaction of all legal requirements,” Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told the territory’s parliament.
Picardo said Thursday he had a “constructive and positive” meeting with Iranian officials in London aimed at defusing tensions around the detention of the tanker in the British territory’s waters.
Gibraltar and US officials believed the tanker was destined for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of EU and US sanctions.
Iran has reacted with fury to what it termed “piracy” and warned it would not let the interception go unanswered.
Last week, a British warship in the Gulf warned off armed Iranian boats that tried to stop a UK supertanker. London has since announced the deployment of two more warships to the Gulf region for the coming months.
The Gibraltar court ruling comes as tensions in the Gulf region mounted Friday after Washington said an Iranian drone was destroyed after threatening an American naval vessel at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
It was believed to be the first US military engagement with Iran following a series of increasingly serious incidents.
Iran denied losing any drones.
Gibraltar court extends detention of Iranian tanker for 30 days
Gibraltar court extends detention of Iranian tanker for 30 days
- The Grace 1 was intercepted by British Royal Marines and Gibraltar’s police on July 4
- Supertanker was believed destined for Syria to deliver oil
Iraq PM candidate Al-Maliki meets senior US diplomat
- Last month President Donald Trump intervened in Iraq’s affairs by issuing an ultimatum that if Al-Maliki — a two-time former premier with close ties to Iran — was named Iraq’s next prime minister, the US would no longer help the country
BAGHDAD: The leading candidate to become Iraq’s next prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, met with US diplomat Tom Barrack on Friday after refusing to withdraw his nomination despite the US threatening to stop supporting the country if he returns to the post.
Barrack, the US envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkiye, has recently visited Iraq multiple times to meet with senior officials.
Maliki’s media office said in a short statement that the PM candidate stressed during the meeting “the need to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and the will of its people.”
He also spoke of the “importance of supporting the democratic process and strengthening political stability” in Iraq.
It wasn’t clear what message Barrack conveyed to Maliki.
Last month President Donald Trump intervened in Iraq’s affairs by issuing an ultimatum that if Al-Maliki — a two-time former premier with close ties to Iran — was named Iraq’s next prime minister, the US would no longer help the country.
Trump’s threat left Iraqi leaders at a loss, particularly within the Coordination Framework — a ruling alliance of Shiite groups with varying degrees of links to Iran that nominated Maliki.
Earlier this week, Al-Maliki told AFP he would not withdraw his nomination, while also seeking to allay Washington’s concerns.
“I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will,” Al-Maliki told AFP in an interview.
