A Chevron-chartered oil tanker seized by Iran more than a year ago has dropped anchor near the United Arab Emirates port of Khor Fakkan, ship tracking data showed Monday.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Advantage Sweet was boarded by Iran’s military in the Gulf of Oman in April 2023 after an alleged collision with an Iranian boat.
After sailing away from Iran last week, its latest position was located close to the UAE, LSEG data showed Monday.
A Chevron spokesperson said Saturday it was aware of reports that the tanker was released on July 10.
“We are pleased to see the safe release of the vessel and crew,” the Chevron spokesperson said in an emailed comment, without providing further details.
The U.S. State Department welcomed reports that the vessel has been released and again condemned the Iranian regime’s unlawful seizure of the vessel from international waters, an agency spokesperson said. The State Department in March had called for the immediate release of the tanker.
Also in March this year, an Iranian court found in favor of patients who had sued the U.S. government over sanctions which they said stopped Iran from importing medicine desperately needed for a rare skin disease, causing deaths and suffering.
After the ruling, Iranian authorities said they would unload about $50 million worth of crude from the Advantage Sweet, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
The report did not specify whether Iran’s seizure of the tanker’s oil would contribute to any compensation for the patients.
