Iran seizes tanker, ramps up uranium enrichment
Iran said its Revolutionary Guards had seized a South Koreanflagged tanker in Gulf waters for breaking “environmental laws”, at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.
South Korea demanded the release of the Hankuk Chemi and its multinational crew of 20 and deployed an anti-piracy unit to the area, close to the strategic Straits of Hormuz.
The Guards said on their Sepahnews website that the ship carrying 7,200 tonnes of oil chemical products “was seized by our force’s [navy] this morning”.
“This tanker was headed from Saudi Arabia’s Al Jubail port and was seized due to the repeated infringement of maritime environmental laws,” it added.
South Korea’s deputy foreign minister was due to visit Tehran in the coming days, according to Iranian officials, who want South Korea to release billions in assets held because of US sanctions.
The seizure follows days of high USIranian tensions marked by the first anniversary of the US assassination of Iran’s revered military commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in a Baghdad drone strike.
The United States on Sunday reversed a decision to bring the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz home from the Gulf, with the Pentagon citing “recent threats” by the Islamic Republic.
On Monday, Iran said it had started the process to enrich uranium to 20% purity, a move that quickly drew international concern.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement the tanker’s seizure was over a “purely technical issue and due to polluting the sea”.
“Just like other countries, Iran is sensitive towards such infractions, especially polluting the maritime environment, and therefore confronts it in the framework of law.”
The Guards said the arrested crew were from South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar.
A photo released by Sepahnews appeared to show three speedboats and a patrol boat approaching the tanker.
The seizure had come at the request of Hormozgan Province’s maritime organisation and upon the order of the provincial prosecutor, Sepahnews said.
The Guards’ statement did not specify where the tanker was seized but said it was transferred to Bandar Abbas port in Hormozgan with the “case handed to judicial authorities”.
The deputy head of Hormozgan’s maritime body told Tasnim news agency that the tanker had “caused a large sea pollution” off Greater Tunb island.
It had continued on its path despite warnings by passing Guards’ patrols before being seized.
Operator DM Shipping denied the vessel had polluted waters, Yonhap news agency reported. South Korea’s foreign ministry said it had confirmed the crew’s safety and was now demanding that the vessel be released.