BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 5
Trend:
Iranian government's spokesman Ali Rabiee has rejected allegations that Iran has seized a South Korean vessel in response to South Korea holding $7 billion of its funds "hostage", Trend reports via IRNA.
"We are not hostage-takers," Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei said.
"We are used to such allegations. But ... it is the government of Korea that has taken over $7 billion of ours hostage on baseless grounds"," Rabiee said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Monday sent out naval speedboats to seize the Hankuk Chemi with 20 crew aboard, accusing it of "breaking maritime environmental law".
Rabiei that the seizure was based on a court order after the tanker had "caused oil pollution in the Persian Gulf. It was warned beforehand, and the (seizure) request was a technical one."
The vessel was said to be transporting up to 7,200 tons of oil-based chemicals, and carrying a crew of South Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Myanmar nationals. Both ship and crew are being held at Iran's Bandar Abbas port, while Iran's IRGC said "the issue is to be dealt with by the judicial officials."