Egyptian authorities denied on Sunday barring an Iranian Gaza-bound aid convoy from crossing Suez Canal.
Spokesman for the Suez Canal Authority Mahmoud Abdel Wahab denied in an exclusive statement to Xinhua the Iranian accusations, affirming that the authority is committed to allowing all civil and military ships to cross the canal in line with the Constantinople Agreement signed in 1888.
"This is totally untrue. We have announced so early that we will allow Iranian ships to cross the canal," the Egyptian official said.
"The Constantinople Agreement obliges the Suez Canal (Authority) to allow all military and civil ships to cross the canal on condition of not doing harm to the environment," he added.
The Iranian Red Crescent said Sunday the ship's departure has been postponed due to restrictions imposed by Israel and Egypt's barring of the ship from crossing the Suez Canal.