Greek court blocks departure of Russian oil tanker

• Greek court halts departure of Russian-flagged cargo ship with 115,000 tonnes of Iranian oil seized at the request of US.
•  A Greek tugboat company is demanding payment from the vessel’s owner for its services.
• Tehran seized two Greek-flagging oil tankers in the Gulf last month.

A Greek court on Tuesday halted the departure of a Russian-flagged cargo ship carrying Iranian oil seized at the request of the US.

According to a judicial source, a court ordered the Russian ship’s “temporary departure ban” at the request of a Greek tugboat company demanding payment from the vessel’s owner for its services.

In retaliation, Tehran seized two Greek-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf.

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On Thursday, a government official said a regional court in the country had ruled that the oil be returned to Iran despite a US effort to get the cargo.

The official said Athens had been “very hopeful” the move would lead to the release of two tankers that Iran seized last month.

The Pegas was moored near the island of Evia when its cargo was seized in line with European Union sanctions imposed against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February.

According to information at the time, the tanker was carrying 115,000 tonnes of Iranian oil.

The Pegas was later renamed the Lana, and authorities said the ship and its crew would be released.

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But the oil was held at the request of the US Justice Department, and a process to transfer the cargo to a US-chartered vessel had been underway.

“The government issued the relevant order, and now we are witnessing the lifting of the ship’s seizure and the return of the cargo to its owner,” the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran said in a statement earlier Tuesday.