Oslo (AFP)
The Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, suspected of convoying crude in Syria and whose US wants the boarding, is heading for Lebanon, said Friday the head of the Turkish diplomacy Mevlut Cavusoglu.
"This tanker is in fact not en route to Iskenderun (Turkish port named Alexandrette in French, ed), this tanker is en route to Lebanon," said during a visit to Oslo Mr. Cavusoglu , asked if Adrian Darya 1 (ex-Grace 1) was heading for Turkey.
The Turkish minister did not say, however, whether Lebanon was the final destination.
"We are still buying gas from Iran, but we are not buying oil," he said, adding that his country "followed the ship very closely".
Adrian Darya 1, who was named Grace 1 during his seizure off the British territory of Gibraltar, was arrested because he was suspected of carrying oil to Syria, in violation of European sanctions against that country.
The Supreme Court of Gibraltar had authorized the tanker on August 15 to leave again after Tehran had assured that the cargo would not be delivered to Syria.
On Monday, Iran said it had sold the oil stored on the ship without specifying who the buyer was or whether the oil had been bought before or after the tanker was seized on 4 July.
The Gibraltar authorities had refused the seizure of the vessel requested by Washington.
© 2019 AFP