South Korea announced today, Tuesday, that it will send a government delegation to Iran as soon as possible to negotiate the release of an oil tanker detained by the Iranian authorities yesterday, and at the same time it said that its destroyer arrived in the region on a "non-offensive" mission.

And the Ministry of Defense in Seoul stated that the destroyer, with the anti-piracy squad on board, reached waters near the Strait of Hormuz and is "about to carry out a mission to ensure the safety of our citizens."

Seoul said that the "Cheonghai" unit, consisting of 300 personnel, has been in the region since late last year and will not engage in an offensive operation, according to South Korea's Yonhap Agency, quoting an unnamed military official.

"The issue should be resolved through diplomacy. The unit focuses on the safety of our citizens who use the waterway after the detention incident," she added.

For its part, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung Wa declined to comment on speculation that Iran had seized the ship in an attempt to pressure Seoul to release Iranian funds frozen under US sanctions, amounting to $ 7 billion.

"We need to verify the facts first and ensure the safety of our crew members," she told reporters, adding, "We are making diplomatic efforts for their early release," noting that she had contacted her Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats surround the tanker "Hankook Chimi" in the Gulf waters (European, quoted by Tasnim Agency)

Is it a negotiation paper?

On the other hand, Iran today denied that it used the South Korean ship and its crew as hostages to pressure Seoul to release the frozen Iranian assets.

Observers viewed the detention of the tanker "Hancock Chimi" and its crew of 20 people near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as an attempt by Iran to press for the achievement of its demands only two weeks before the US President-elect Joe Biden assumed power.

However, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said in a press conference, "We have become accustomed to such allegations ... But if there is any dependence, it is the Korean government that pledges 7 billion dollars of our money without any bond."

On Monday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced the detention of the tanker "Hancock Chimi" against the background of "its repeated violation of marine environmental laws," noting that it was carrying 7200 tons of "petroleum chemicals."

The detained crew members are of South Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Myanmar nationalities, according to the Sepah News website of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

South Korea summoned the Iranian ambassador to it, and demanded the release of the ship.

In response to a question about the condition of the ship's crew, Iranian Ambassador to Seoul Said Badamchi Shabestari told reporters before his meeting at the Korean Foreign Ministry, "They are all safe."

A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "A delegation will be sent to Iran as soon as possible to try to solve the issue through bilateral negotiations."

The spokesman also said that Vice Foreign Minister Choi Yong Kun will proceed with a previously planned 3-day trip to Tehran early next week.

This visit had been arranged to discuss the funds frozen prior to the seizure of the oil tanker.

The seizure of the oil tanker comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington in the final days of President Donald Trump's administration.