Tanker Carrying Suspect Oil Detained
Russian officials demanded that the U.S. Navy release a Russian tanker being held in the Persian Gulf while its oil is tested, apparently to see if it came from Iraq in violation of U.N. sanctions. A Navy spokesman confirmed that the Akademik Pustovoit was stopped Wednesday in international waters. “We had reason to believe that the ship was involved in smuggling illegal Iraqi gasoil,” Vice Adm. Charles Moore said in Manama, Bahrain. The Royal Dutch-Shell Group said the oil belongs to the company and came from Iran.
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