TEHRAN, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's government spokesman said Monday that legal procedure for the release of Stena Impero, the seized British oil tanker, has completed and the vessel can leave Iran's waters, official IRNA news agency reported.
"As it has been announced by (an Iranian) ports organization, the legal procedure for the release of the (British) tanker has ended," Ali Rabiee told reporters at his weekly press conference.
"Based on the humanitarian considerations that overlook the fault (of the tanker), the ground is prepared for the release of the tanker and it can move," he was quoted as saying.
On Sunday, Allahmorad Afifipour, the general manager of Iran's Hormozgan Maritime and Ports Organization, said that the order for the release of British tanker has been issued, according to Tasnim news agency.
The vessel will start its voyage from Iran's Bandar Abbas port to the international waters "soon," said Afifipour.
Although the tanker is allowed to leave Iran's waters, "the legal dossier for its violations is still open in Iran's judiciary," he added.
Iran detained the Stena Impero on July 19, alleging that it had violated the maritime regulations while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, two weeks after Britain seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar.
Earlier, Iran released seven crew members of the oil tanker.
The Iranian officials have ruled out any link between Stena Impero's case and British seizure of the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 off the coast of Gibraltar.
The Grace 1, renamed as Adrian Darya 1, was released by the Gibraltar authorities on Aug. 16.
