TEHRAN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian-flagged oil tanker has started loading oil seized by the United States after Greece, where the oil tanker anchors, agreed to release the cargo, Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) announced on Saturday.
The Lana tanker began reloading "part of the cargo" on Friday night after undergoing "relevant repairs," a statement posted on the PMO website quoted its head Ali Akbar Safaee as saying.
In mid-April, the Greek government seized Lana's oil cargo at the request of a U.S. court. After its seizure, the U.S. sent another ship to impound the oil from the Iranian vessel. Lana has been stranded off the port of Piraeus since July.
In May, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps seized two Greek oil tankers in the Gulf for what it called a "violation" of maritime regulations.
Last month, a Greek court ruled the oil must be returned to Iran. ■
