Paulo Rangel calls for the “immediate release of the ship” with the Portuguese flag seized by Iran

Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, in statements to journalists this Saturday, defended the “immediate release of the Portuguese-flagged ship seized by Iran, despite the fact that there were no Portuguese crew members on board.” The Portuguese government has already contacted Iranian authorities in Tehran and the Iranian embassy in Lisbon.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized the ship because it considered it “connected to Israel” and transferred it to the country’s territorial waters. A Navy Guards Special Forces helicopter boarded and captured it.

Paulo Rangel also stated that the Portuguese state must be proactive and attentive to this situation, given the current moment of growing tension between Iran and Israel. He therefore asked all Portuguese in Israel to strictly comply with all instructions from local authorities.

On board the ship seized near the Strait of Hormuz were 17 citizens of India, Estonia, Pakistan and Russia. Portugal has already shown solidarity with the Indian government.

Portugal’s ambassador to Tehran will meet Iran’s diplomatic chief on Sunday to seek clarification over the ship’s hijacking.

Depending on the meeting, Portugal’s diplomatic response to the incident, which he condemned “warmly with concern,” may or may not get worse, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said.

Ultimately, the head of Portuguese diplomacy admitted the possibility of “summoning the Iranian ambassador in Lisbon for explanations to the Foreign Ministry,” given the seriousness of the situation.

But such measures will only be considered after this Sunday’s meeting, as he believes the signal given by the Tehran government to receive the Portuguese ambassador shows a “willingness” to provide clarification.