• Analysis: Hormuz, the coveted strait
  • Territorial tension: The war of oil tankers in Hormuz reinforces the hawks of Iran

The United States has requested to seize the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 , held in Gibraltar for a month by the British Royal Marines, which complicates a possible exchange of ships between Britain and the Islamic Republic .

The Grace 1 oil tanker was captured by the British navy in a risky landing in the dark off the coast of British overseas territory on July 4. Gibraltar said the tanker was suspected of passing oil to Syria, thus violating the sanctions of the European Union.

As tensions with Tehran grew, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized the British-flagged Stena Impero ship in the Gulf on July 19.

"The US Department of Justice has requested to seize the Iranian superhero Grace 1 in Gibraltar, just a few hours before the Gibraltar Government released him," said the Gibraltar Chronicle , the first to report the news.

The president of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar , Anthony Dudley , has clarified that if it were not for the US movement "the ship would have sailed," reports the Chronicle .

It is not clear at the moment by virtue of what the US Department of Justice's request comes about, but the request means that a decision on the fate of Grace 1 will not be made until Thursday. The Gibraltar government has not yet spoken.

The captain and three officers of Grace 1 have been released from arrest. A Gibraltarian source has confirmed to Reuters before the court hearing that the departure of Grace 1 would probably be allowed, fueling speculation about a possible ship exchange with Iran.

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