US seizes Iranian oil cargo near Greek island: report

The United States has confiscated an Iranian oil cargo held onboard a Russian-operated ship near Greece and will send the cargo to the United States aboard another vessel, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The report said that Greek authorities last month impounded the Iranian-flagged Pegas, with 19 Russian crew members on board, near the coast of the southern island of Evia due to EU sanctions.

The vessel was later released due to confusion about sanctions over its owners.

One source at Greece's shipping ministry said on Thursday that the US Department of Justice had "informed Greece that the cargo on the vessel is Iranian oil".

"The cargo has been transferred to another ship that was hired by the US" the source added, without providing further detail.

Chargé d'Affaires of Greek Embassy to Iran (in absence of Ambassador) was summoned to Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday following seizure of a cargo ship operating under the flag of Islamic Republic of Iran in Greek waters.

Reacting to blocking Iranian vessel from sailing by Greece, Iran's Ports and Shipping Organization (PMO) in a statement said on Wednesday that the action was considered 'an act of piracy', calling for abidance by international regulations.

KI