The Gibraltar court today decides whether the vessel seized by the United Kingdom should be released or continued to be seized. The US application, from the Department of Justice, means that the court's ruling is postponed until later on Thursday.

The British Navy stopped and seized the oil tanker Grace 1 in the Mediterranean in July after suspicions that it was shipping crude oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions.

The captain and three officers, who were arrested in connection with the tanker being stopped outside Gibraltar, have been released from detention, reports Gibraltar's government reports Reuters.

"Pirate shaping"

Iran compared the plot to pirate pheasants and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard shortly afterwards seized three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One of them was the UK-registered Stena Impero, which is owned by the Swedish shipping company Stena Bulk.

The United Kingdom has called it illegal and unacceptable behavior. Iran, on the other hand, claims that the ship violated international maritime regulations.

Was expected to be released

During Thursday, court hearings are held in Gibraltar on what will happen to Grace 1. Earlier, it was reported that the head of government Fabian Picardo was pleased with the news that the ship would no longer be going to Syria, and that it would therefore be released. But with the American application, the court's decision is postponed until later on Thursday.

Similar data has circulated earlier this week, but was then denied by Gibraltar. Iran has not told where the ship was going, but states that it is not Syria and that it was on international water.