Iran has sold 2.1 million barrels of crude oil aboard an Iranian tanker that was detained by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar last month, and the vessel's new owner will decide on its next destination, Aljazeera reports.
The announcement on Monday by government spokesman Ali Rabiei is the latest twist in the saga of the Adrian Darya 1, which had been known as the Grace 1 when authorities seized it off Gibraltar on July 4 on suspicion of breaking European Union sanctions targeting Syria.
Speaking to journalists in the capital, Tehran, Rabiei declined to name the oil's buyer or terms for the sale. At current market rates, the crude oil aboard the Adrian Darya would be worth about $130m.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has sold the oil of this ship and now the owner and purchaser of this oil will decide the destination of the cargo," Rabiei said, as quoted by state media.
"We believe and are sure that the owner of the ship will take it to where it is supposed to go and we are not informed of its final destination," he added.
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