Publish Date: 13 August 2019 - 14:04

Tehran, Aug 13, IRNA – Deputy Head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Jalil Eslami said on Tuesday that some documents have been exchanged to free Grace 1 supertanker carrying Iranian oil that was seized by the UK Navy in Gibraltar last month.

Seizing the tanker in Gibraltar had no clear reason, said Jalil Eslami in a press conference.

Eslami said that the UK has also shown interest in resolving the issue, so the documents have been exchanged.

He hoped that the problem will be solved soon and the vessel can sail with Iranian flag.

He told IRNA that the Iran's oil tankers and trade ships routinely navigate in the international waters.

In the past two months, there have been some normal non-political issues regarding ships which have not been related to the sanctions, but have been dealt with as political ones; these incidents were considered totally normal in the past.

Referring to Iran's seizing the UK oil tanker because of violating International Law of the Sea and US forming a coalition to escort ships in the Persian Gulf, he said that the US and the UK have launched propaganda against Iran.

They aimed to create a coalition with 60 state members, but no country joined then but the Zionist regime, which means the US plan has failed, he added.

He also said that Iran has provided security for all the countries' ship and no country should be worried about navigating in the Persian Gulf with their own flags.

About 35% of the energy of the world passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but the recent tensions have increased insurance fees for ships, especially oil tankers, which roots in risk factor the buyers and energy transporting companies take into account.

Eslami said that despite the US sanctions, the goods transported from Iranian ports have risen 4%.

He said that he hopes that with resistance, Iran can go back to the situation it has before sanctions.

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