Brazil’s top court has ordered on Thursday that state-controlled oil company Petrobras refuel two Iranian grain vessels stranded near the Paranagua port for a month unable to head back to the Middle East due to lack of fuel.
Brazilian Chief Justice Dias Toffoli has overturned an injunction that authorized state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA to refrain from fuelling up the vessels. The Brazilian company has denied the service citing United States’ sanctions to Iran.
In his verditc, the chief justice argues that Eleva Química, the Brazilian company in charge of the two ships, hasn't been included in the list of firms sanctioned by the US.
Barvand and Termeh, the two Iranian ships, were supposed to sail back with 110,000 tons of maiz from Brazil in exchange for Iranian uera, valued some 27 million dollars.
According to the court's verdict, Petrobras won't be salpped by US sanctions because the ships refuelling will be carried out though a judicial order.
"There is this problem. The US has imposed unilateral sanctions against Iran. We have warned the Brazilian companies against this problem," said Braizilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday 19 July.
Iran is a major importer of Brazilian corn, maiz, beef and other vital staples. Tehran had warned that it would seek other suppliers in case Brasilia had continued refusing to refuel the Iranian ships.