Iranian ships stranded in Brazil start refueling following court order: IRNA

Two Iranian grain vessels stranded in the Brazilian port of Paranagua have begun refueling following a Brazilian court order compelling the state oil company of Petrobras to provide fuel the ships.

An unnamed official informed on the matter told Iran's state news agency IRNA on Saturay that the “Bavand” and “Termeh” vessels, which had brought urea to Brazil, had begun refueling today.

The Iranian vessels had been stranded for weeks at the Brazilian port of Paranagua, unable to head back to Iran due to lack of fuel.

On Thursday, however, Brazil’s highest judicial authority ordered Petrobras to refuel the two Iranian ships, overturning an injunction that had authorized the oil firm to withhold the service.

Petrobras had earlier refused to refuel the ships saying that they had appeared on a list of US sanctions.

The court order came a few days after Iran asked Brazil to allow refueling the ships or have Tehran cancel imports worth about $2 billion a year from the Latin American country.

SS