Iran has sold the oil on the tanker Adrian Darya 1, which was detained by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar, and the owner of the oil will decide where the ship goes, announced an Iranian government spokesman. Adrian Darya 1, formerly Grace 1, was released from detention mid-August after a five-week standoff over whether it was carrying oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. The Iranian tanker changed its destination for the third time after leaving Gibraltar last week and headed Sunday towards the Suez Canal. The tanker, which was at the center of a confrontation between Washington and Tehran, is now heading towards the Canal and no longer recorded as heading to the port of Kalamata in southern Greece or the southern Turkish port of Mersin, Refinitiv Eikon and Tankers Trackers shipping data showed on Monday. The change of route comes after Iranian sources said it was possible the tanker will transfer 1 million barrels of its cargo to a second Iranian tanker to help it cross the Suez Canal. Refinitiv also said that the tanker must get rid of about 700,000 barrels to 1 million barrels of its current shipment of 2.1 million barrels in order to be able to cross the Canal. Tanker Trackers tweeted that an Iranian Suezmax, capable of carrying 1 million barrels, was tracked rushing north up the Red Sea. Gibraltar authorities said last week they had obtained Iranian assurances that the cargo would not be transported to Syria. The United States, which says the tanker is controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), has told countries in the region not to assist it. Greece has refused to provide any facilities to the tanker. The tanker had traveled a longer route through the southern tip of Africa and sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to avoid crossing the Suez Canal before being detained by the Royal Navy off the coast of Gibraltar in June. Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces were ready to escort the Adrian Darya 1 if it is required by the country’s authorities, deputy army chief for coordination affairs Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Sunday. He noted that the navy are present in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and have safeguarded over 6,000 vessels passing through international waters and are ready to escort Iranian vessels anytime and anywhere that is needed.