U.K. frees Iranian tanker despite U.S. objections

The British territory of Gibraltar is releasing an Iranian oil tanker over which the United States requested control. The ship and its crew were seized six weeks ago on grounds they were carrying oil to Syria in violation of an international embargo. In retaliation, Iran captured a British oil tanker, the Stena Impero, on July 19 in the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

What did the United States want with the tanker, and why didn’t it get it? It’s possible the Trump administration wanted to restrict Iran’s attempts to skirt U.S. sanctions on its oil sales. But Gibraltar’s Supreme Court said the formal U.S. application for control of the ship did not arrive in time. British authorities might be hoping Iran will release the Stena Impero. Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar’s chief minister, said Thursday the Iranian government assured him its released tanker would not sail to a place “subject to European Union sanctions.” —H.P.