Iran's envoy to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, dismissed on Wednesday concerns expressed by the UK Foreign Office over the final destination of Iranian oil tanker the Adryan Darya 1, formerly known as the Grace 1.
According to the senior official, the tanker sold the oil in accordance with the preferences of the owner of the cargo and without violating any assurances given by Tehran.
“Despite countless threats by America, the tanker sold its oil at sea to a private company and it has clearly not breached any commitment”, Baeidinejad said.
The day before, the UK Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian envoy and accused Iran of an alleged violation of international regulations by sending its tanker to Syria, which is under European Union sanctions.
The move came several days after former National Security Adviser John Bolton posted a satellite image allegedly showing the ship sitting off the coast of Syria.
The Adrian Darya 1, previously known as the Grace 1, was seized by authorities in Gibraltar in early July after the UK received a tip from the US claiming that the tanker planned to unload its cargo in Syria, in violation of European Union sanctions against the war-torn country.
Gibraltar released the ship in mid-August, in defiance of a US request to continue the detention and the issuance of a US warrant to seize the vessel.