Iran’s envoy says tanker oil sold at sea to private company, owner ‘sets destination’

Iran’s envoy to London said on Wednesday that the oil cargo of tanker ‘Adrian Darya 1’ was sold at sea to a private company, denying Tehran had broken assurances it had given in relation to the vessel.

At a meeting with the British foreign secretary, “it was emphasized that British authorities’ action against the tanker carrying Iranian oil was in violation of international law,” Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad tweeted after being summoned in London.

“EU sanctions cannot be extended to third countries. Despite numerous threats by America, the tanker sold its oil at sea to a private company and has not violated any obligation,” the envoy added. The private company, which is “the owner of the oil sets the sale destination of the oil,” Baeidinejad told IRNA.

Britain said on Tuesday that Iran had sold the oil cargo of tanker ‘Adrian Darya 1’ to Syria, breaking assurances it had given over the vessel which had been detained in Gibraltar for a suspected breach of EU sanctions.

Iran said on Sunday that the tanker has delivered its oil after docking somewhere in the Mediterranean region, Reuters reported.