TEHRAN, Jul. 12 (MNA) – Gibraltar took the decision to seize an Iranian tanker, Grace 1, last week because the ship was in breach of EU's sanctions and not on the request of any other country, the British territory's chief minister claimed on Friday.
Gibraltar government's decisions "were taken totally independently, based on breaches of existing law and not at all based on extraneous political considerations," Fabian Picardo told Gibraltar's parliament.
He said the Iranian supertanker seized last week by the British navy on suspicion of carrying Tehran's oil to Syria was loaded with 2.1 million barrels of light crude oil.
Chief Minister told the parliament of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, in a statement that anyone who has a claim to the vessel and its cargo can file its claim in court.
The ship was illegally intercepted by British Royal Marines off the southern tip of Spain on July 4.
A senior Spanish official said the operation was requested by the United States, but Picardo says no other government asked Gibraltar to act.
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