Iran has freed the St. Nikolas tanker, seized in January 2024, now anchored off Oman with a healthy crew after nearly two years of detention.
Iran has released the oil tanker named 'St. Nikolas,' which it seized in the Gulf of Oman in January 2024, after holding it for nearly two years. The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, operated by the Greece-based Empire Navigation company, has reportedly reached the waters off Oman.
According to satellite tracking data and statements from the ship's operator, the tanker was released on January 9 and anchored off the coast of Shinas Port in Oman as of January 12. Empire Navigation confirmed that the health of the 13 crew members on board is good and that the ship's satellite tracking system has been reactivated.
The release of the vessel coincided with a period of heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. Iran carried out the seizure in 2024 as a retaliation for the U.S. seizure of the same ship (then named Suez Rajan) in 2023 and the confiscation of approximately 1 million barrels of Iranian oil it was carrying. At that time, Iran characterized this action as a legal response to the U.S. 'stealing' Iranian oil.
The decision to release the tanker came during a process in which Washington has increased pressure on Tehran and geopolitical tensions in the region continue. Experts view the release of the vessel as a signal of diplomatic easing or a result of negotiations taking place behind the scenes.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
