Iran on Monday said it had seized the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries, registered in the autonomous region of Madeira and owned by London-based Zodiac Maritime Limited, for violating international maritime standards.
“The ship was sent to Iranian territorial waters due to a violation of international maritime rules and the lack of response from the Iranian authorities,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said at a press conference.
The diplomat said the ship “belongs to the Zionist regime,” meaning Israel, and is under investigation by the “competent authorities.”
Kanaani assured that Iran is “committed to the principle of free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz” in accordance with international law.
“Iran controls all traffic in this strategic strait as part of the protection of its national interests and territorial sovereignty and exercises full and responsible control over all elements of entry and exit,” the spokesman said.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Persian Gulf on Saturday, hours before a missile and drone attack began on Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the seizure of the ship a “pirate operation.”
India, in turn, asked Iran to ensure the safety of 17 Indians on board the hijacked ship.
Portuguese Ambassador to Tehran Carlos da Costa Neves met with Iranian diplomatic chief Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday to seek clarification on the seizure of a Portuguese-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
After this meeting, a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) told Lusa that “the government continues to take all planned and appropriate steps.”
“Given the new context and the sensitivity of the situation, it is advisable to maintain restraint,” the MNE source added, without specifying the details of the meeting.
When asked whether the Portuguese government was considering tightening diplomatic measures in connection with the incident, the same source said that such a hypothesis could not be ruled out, taking into account the “continuous monitoring and development” of the situation.
The Portuguese-flagged container ship was seized by Iran on Saturday near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf with a total of 25 crew members on board. The hijacked container ship is linked to Zodiac Maritime, part of the Zodiac Group, which has a fleet of more than 180 vessels and is owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.
The vessel left Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates and headed to Nhava Sheva, India, with its latest position taken on Friday at the exact same location near the Strait of Hormuz where it was seized.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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