Diplomatic relations between Greece and Iran have stumbled after a complex sanctions-related shipping case unfolded in waters to the east of Athens.
Greek police said yesterday they will dispatch Iranian oil from a seized tanker to the United States at the request of the US judiciary. In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the chief of Greece’s diplomatic mission for talks on Wednesday, claiming the decision amounted to “international robbery”.
The case surrounds the Pegas, an Iranian-flagged tanker crewed by Russians, renamed
Lana
, bound for Turkey, which was apprehended at Greece’s Karystos anchorage last month, found to be carrying 115,000 tons of Iranian oil.
US sanctions in place against Iran for the past five years are widely tipped to be eased in the coming months to help western markets come to terms with the loss of Russian oil following the invasion of Ukraine.
