Iran: Oil sold from supertanker sought by US

The oil that was being carried on an Iranian supertanker that is wanted by the U.S. was sold, a spokesman for Iran’s government said Monday.

Spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters of the sale of the crude that was being carried on the Adrian Darya 1, but declined to name the buyer, according to multiple reports. 

{mosads}“The Islamic Republic of Iran has sold the oil of this ship and now the owner and purchaser of this oil will decide the destination of the cargo,” Rabiei said, according to Reuters.

Rabiei also said that the world is “witnessing the wrong policy by the U.S. in monitoring and intervention in others’ internal affairs,” according to The Associated Press.

The AP reported that the 2.1 million barrels of crude oil that were aboard the tanker had a market value of about $130 million.

Authorities detained the ship off Gibraltar in July after it was suspected of violating European Union sanctions on Syria. Iran later seized a British oil tanker. 

Reuters previously reported that the vessel left Gibraltar after failed efforts by the Trump administration to have it held at the port.

Washington says the ship is aiding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. deemed a terrorist organization earlier this year.

Iran has warned that a move by the U.S. to seize the ship would result in “heavy consequences,” according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has attempted to prevent sales of Iranian oil. Tensions between the two countries have flared since Trump pulled the U.S. out of a 2015 nuclear agreement with the country last year.