Iran condemns the "sabotage" of its ship in the Mediterranean by an "explosive"

Iranian boat Shahr-e-Kord, here at Haydarpasa port in Istanbul, December 13, 2019. REUTERS - Yoruk Isik

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Iran denounced on Saturday March 13 an act of "sabotage" in the Mediterranean Sea on a container ship belonging to an Iranian company, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

He claims that the attack caused damage to the boat.

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We have " 

received information confirming that the

ship

suffered a sabotage attack

 ," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibzadeh said, deeming the incident to be " 

a flagrant violation of international law and law. maritime

 ”.

The freighter, named Iran Shahr-e-Kord and belonging to the Iranian company IRISL, was en route between Iran and Europe when its hull was hit by " 

an explosive device

 " on Wednesday March 10, said Friday March 12 a company spokesperson, denouncing a " 

terrorist act

 " and an " 

example of maritime piracy

 ".

Saïd Khatibzadeh for his part " 

condemned

 " the attack, confirming that it " 

caused damage to this ship

 ", without further details.

He stressed that Tehran "

seriously

 "

follows 

the incident in " 

its different dimensions

 " to " 

identify the perpetrators

 ".

The incident comes less than two weeks after Israel accused Tehran of being behind an attack on an Israeli ship in the Gulf of Oman.

Accusations denied by Iran.

In 2019, the area was at the heart

of several diplomatic incidents and entanglements

between Tehran, the United States and other countries in the Persian Gulf.

The company IRISL was blacklisted by the United States in 2020 for, according to the US State Department, the transport of material related to the nuclear program and Iranian missiles.

This is against the background where former US President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew Washington from a historic nuclear deal with Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

(With AFP)

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