Iran seizes South Korean oil tanker in tension with the United States

A South Korean flagged tanker is escorted by patrol boats from the Revolutionary Guards, the armed wing of the Iranian regime, in the Persian gofle, January 4, 2020. AP

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Tehran announced the seizure on Monday, January 4 by its Revolutionary Guards of an oil tanker flying the South Korean flag in Gulf waters, for having violated "the laws on the marine environment", in a context of renewed tensions with the United States.

Seoul demanded the release of the Hankuk Chemi and its 20 crew members and deployed a naval anti-piracy unit in the strategic Gulf region.

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This tanker had left the port of Al-Jubail in Saudi Arabia and was seized for repeated violation of laws on the marine environment

 ," said the website Sepahnews, of the Revolutionary Guards - the regime's ideological army -, specifying that it was carrying 7,200 tonnes of petroleum chemicals.

A photo published by this site appears to show three stars and a patrol approaching the tanker, reports

Agence France-Presse

.

This seizure comes at a time when, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the South Korean Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is expected soon in Tehran.

Iran is seeking to release funds frozen by Seoul due to US sanctions.

This Tuesday morning, South Korea is considering whether or not to maintain the visit of this high-ranking diplomat to Tehran, said a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iranian

threats 

"

This seizure also comes after Iran's commemoration on Sunday January 3 of the first anniversary of the assassination by the United States of its General

Qassem Soleimani

, in a drone attack in Baghdad.

It is also hours after the announcement that the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz would stay in the Gulf instead of returning home, due to

Iranian

threats 

" against outgoing President Donald Trump and other senior US officials. .

► 

To read also: Iran: one year after the assassination of Soleimani, Tehran fears an American attack

Pollution 

"

According to a statement from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saïd Khatibzadeh, the seizure of the tanker constitutes a " 

purely technical matter and due to pollution of the sea 

" which took place " 

within the framework of the law 

".

According to the Guardians, the crew members are of South Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Burmese nationality.

According to Sepahnews, it is now anchored in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in the province of Hormozgan and " 

the matter is in the hands of justice 

".

The deputy director of the Hormozgan maritime authority told the Tasnim agency that the tanker had " 

caused significant pollution in the sea 11 miles from [the island of] the Great Tomb 

", and that he had continued on his way despite warnings from Guardian patrols before his seizure.

Seoul calls for the release of its tanker

The South Korean Foreign Ministry " 

demanded that the ship be released quickly 

", adding that it had received confirmation that the crew was safe and sound.

In Washington, a State Department spokesperson called the seizure of the vessel part of "a 

clear attempt to extort the international community in an effort to ease the pressure of sanctions."

We join the call of the Republic of Korea for Iran to immediately release the tanker. 

"

► 

Also read: Uranium enrichment, a new negotiating lever for Iran

(With agencies

)

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  • Iran

  • South Korea

  • United States

  • Oil

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