In respect of matters arising from the detention in Gibraltar of the VLCC Grace 1, the Chief Minister of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar has today written to the Presidents of the EU Council and Commission (Messrs Tusk and Junker), as well as the EU High Representative, Ms Mogherini, informing them of Gibraltar’s success in the application of EU Regulation 36/2012 on sanctions against Syria. 

Mr Picardo has written also to Commission President-elect Von der Leyen. 

The Chief Minister has set out that Gibraltar’s actions have deprived the regime of President Assad of Syria of circa $140m in value of crude oil by securing published written assurances from the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the cargo of the Grace 1 will not be made available to any EU sanctioned entity or individual.  

A copy of the relevant Legal Notice, which annexes the explicit Iranian written assurances, is also provided with the letters.

The Chief Minister said:  “I have written to Presidents Tusk and Juncker and High Representative Mogherini setting out the outcome of the operation to ensure that the Grace 1 was not able to breach EU Regulation 36/2012 on sanctions against Syria.  I am pleased and proud to be able to report to the EU that the actions of the Gibraltar authorities have disrupted this attempt to use Gibraltar to violate EU sanctions.”