Previously named Grace 1, the vessel was held for six months by the British overseas territory of Gibraltar until authorities received written assurances from Iran that it wouldn't sail to Syria in breach of European Union sanctions.
"This fits into the web of lies perpetrated by the Iranian regime for 40 years," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters in Washington. "Their deception and broken promises are not just aimed at the international community, but the Iranian people too. Despite the revolutionary promises of a better society, the thugs in Tehran have consistently repressed women, minorities, and human rights advocates."
Comment: Either way, selling oil to Syria (or Syrians) is the morally right thing to do.
When asked if the United States has evidence that Adrian Darya 1 transferred oil to Syria, Ortagus said: "I wouldn't say that if we didn't."
Britain on September 10 also accused Iran of back pedaling on its promise.
Iran's envoy to Britain, Hamid Baeidinejad, was summoned by the British Foreign Ministry. He denied Tehran had broken assurances and said a private company bought the tanker's oil cargo.
The private buyer "sets the sale destination," Baeidinejad was quoted as saying.
On September 9, Iran's Foreign Ministry only said the Adrian Darya 1 tanker delivered crude at an undisclosed location.
The United States last year withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and has since reimposed and tightened sanctions on Iran that include its lucrative oil industry.
Comment: The fact that the tanker made it to Syria shows that the U.S. wasn't concerned enough to do anything about it. Either they calculated that is was best to just stay out of it, or (as Magnier claims) made a deal with Iran to let the oil make its way to Syria. Either way, Iran wins another round in their confrontation with the US beast.