The Media Line Staff 02/03/2021
Iran will allow the crew members of a South Korean-flagged tanker it seized last month to leave the country. The ship was seized for violating environmental pollution protocols, Iran said at the time of the seizure. It has held 19 members of the crew since then, but rejects South Korea’s characterization that they were “hostages.”
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it will work to resolve the issue of releasing $7 billion in Iranian funds frozen in South Korea due to US sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Iran has denied that it seized the tanker in response to the freezing of the funds. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called the release of the crew “a humanitarian move.”
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Iran allows crew of seized Korean tanker to leave
Posted : 2021-02-02 22:12
Updated : 2021-02-03 10:38
A South Korean-flagged tanker is escorted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats on the Persian Gulf, Jan. 4, 2021. AFP
Iran said Tuesday it has allowed the crew of a South Korean oil tanker it seized last month to leave the country, according to news reports.
The MT Hankuk Chemi had 20 sailors, including five Koreans, aboard when it was seized by Iran s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps for alleged oil pollution on Jan. 4.
The release comes in a humanitarian move by Tehran following a request from the South Korean government, Reuters quoted a spokesman for Iran s foreign ministry as telling state media.