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Iran moves to lift detention of Stena Impero tanker

The probe will continue, though, the Iranian Foreign Ministry pledged

TEHRAN, September 25. /TASS/. Iran has decided to lift the detention of the UK tanker Stena Impero, however, the investigation of the incident will continue, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi stated on Twitter.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Supreme Court and the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran have made a final decision today on suspending the detention of the Stena Impero tanker," Mousavi wrote. "The investigation of some of its violations and environmental damage remains open," he added.

On Monday, Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiei stated that legal procedures on releasing the British tanker have been completed. However, he gave no exact date when the vessel would leave Iran’s coast.

On July 19, IRNA reported that the UK-flagged tanker Stena Impero was detained in the Strait of Hormuz after it had failed to respond to the warnings by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite military force of the Islamic Republic. According to the IRGC, the vessel was seized for "the violations of international maritime regulations" and was escorted to the shore for a check. Later, the Iranian authorities said the tanker had been involved in an incident with an Iranian fishing vessel.

In early September, Iran’s authorities let seven crew members of the tanker, including one Russian, leave Iran for the United Arab Emirates. Some 16 crewmembers remain onboard the tanker, satisfying the vessel’s minimum safe manning certificate.