A young Greek merchant seaman seized aboard a tanker in the Gulf of Oman last week by Iranian forces has been freed and is headed back to Greece, according to diplomatic sources in Athens on Thursday evening.
According to the same sources, the Iranian foreign ministry accepted Athens’ request for the 20-year-old man’s release and exit from the country.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis had instructed ministry officials to actively work for the sailor’s release, in coordination with the shipping ministry and Greece’s ambassador to Iran, Stylianos Gavriil.
The junior officer-trainee served aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged St. Nikolas when it was boarded by Iranian military personnel and diverted to an Iranian port. He was one of 23 crew-members aboard and the only Greek national.
