Iranian authorities have released the oil tanker St. Nikolas, which had been detained for nearly two years. The vessel, operated by a Greek company, was released following a lengthy diplomatic and legal standoff over sanctions and the transport of oil.
๐ข The tanker was seized in January 2024 near the Gulf of Oman. At the time, it was sailing under a different name, Suez Rajan, and was carrying oil. Iran claimed the detention was retaliation for the US, which had previously confiscated the same tanker and its cargo of Iranian oil under sanctions.
After the seizure, the vessel was renamed St. Nikolas and held in Iranian waters. The incident became one of the most telling examples of how sanctions conflicts directly impact commercial shipping, turning merchant vessels into instruments of political pressure.
โ๏ธ As of the time of the release, official details of the deal have not been disclosed. Information about the possible terms of the release, the vessel’s future plans, and the status of the crew is scarce, but it has been confirmed that the vessel is no longer under Iranian control.
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