Gibraltar's supreme court has ruled that an Iranian tanker illegally seized by by Britain's Royal Marines can be detained for 30 more days, the territory's attorney general says.
UK detention of Iran tanker extended despite promises
19 Jul 2019 - 17:50
Gibraltar's supreme court has ruled that an Iranian tanker illegally seized by by Britain's Royal Marines can be detained for 30 more days, the territory's attorney general says.
The Grace 1 supertanker, carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil, was seized on July 4 as it transited through international waters off 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 court's decision came a day after a senior Gibraltar's official described as “constructive” talks with Iran, raising hopes that the tanker would be released imminently.
In a meeting in London on Thursday, Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Iranian officials “discussed matters related to the detention of Grace 1,” a spokesman for the island said.
He added that the meeting was “constructive” and “positive” as both sides sought to “de-escalate all aspects of the issues arising”.
On Friday, Picardo said, "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."
Last weekend, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif held a telephone conversation about the tanker.
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