Iran tanker prepares to leave after Gibraltar decides to free it: Report

AnIranian oiltankeris being reflagged and is preparing to sail to the Mediterranean,Iran's state television reported onFriday,afterGibraltar, decided tofreethe seized ship.

"Based on the owner's request, the oiltankerGrace 1 will depart for the Mediterraneanafterbeing reflagged under theIranian flag and renamed Adrian Daryaafterpreparing for the journey," the television quoted Jalil Eslami, deputy head ofIran's Ports and Maritime Organisation, as saying.

Britain's Mediterranean territoryGibraltardecided on Thursday tofreethe Panama-flaggedtanker but did not immediately indicate when or if the ship would set sailafterthe United States launched a new, last-minute legal bid to hold it.

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"The 25-member crew will start their journeyafterpreparations, including refuelling," Eslami said.

The television report did not identify thetanker's owner.

The Grace 1 was seized by British Royal Marine commandos off the coast of the territory at the western mouth of the Mediterranean on July 4 on suspicion of violating European Union sanctions by taking oil to Syria, a close ally ofIran.

Two weeks later,Iranseized a British-flaggedtankerin the Strait of Hormuz leading into the Gulf.

The twotankers have become pawns in the standoff betweenIranand the West, their fate tangled up in the diplomatic differences between the EU's big powers and the United States.

Gibraltarofficials did not make clear whether the US legal bid would mean the ship would have to be detained further or, if so, for how long.

Iransaid the ship would sail shortly and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif characterised the US bid to prevent it from leaving as "piracy".