Iran has agreed to release the crews of two Greek oil tankers it seized in May in the Persian Gulf, in response to the US seizure of oil from an Iranian-flagged tanker in Greece, the Greek commercial ship seamen’s union said. .
The case has strained relations between Athens and Tehran as tensions between Iran and the United States rise.
The Iranian-flagged tanker Lana, formerly Pegas, was seized by Greece in April and has been detained for months. The United States had confiscated some of its oil cargo due to sanctions.
The Lana, which had engine problems, was officially released in July. Anchored off Piraeus ever since, she has recovered the cargo of oil the United States had seized and is expected to sail back to Iran.
Iran has agreed to replace the crew of the tankers, allowing them to return to their home countries soon, the union said in a statement posted on its website on Sunday.
It is unclear when the two Greek tankers, which remain in the Persian Gulf, will be released, the union said.