South Korean-flagged tanker seized by Iran, Seoul demands release

[webfact]

South Korean-flagged tanker seized by Iran, Seoul demands release

By Parisa Hafezi and Hyonhee Shin

 

A South Korean-flagged tanker vessel which was seized by Iran. is seen in Gulf, Iran January 4, 2021. IRGC / WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

 

DUBAI/SEOUL (Reuters) -Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in Gulf waters and detained its crew, Iranian media said on Monday, amid tensions between Tehran and Seoul over Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions.

 

Seoul confirmed the seizure of a South Korean chemical tanker by Iranian authorities in the waters off Oman, and demanded its immediate release.

 

Several Iranian media outlets, including state TV, said the Guards navy captured the vessel for polluting the Gulf with chemicals.

 

"According to initial reports by local officials, it is purely a technical matter and the ship was taken to shore for polluting the sea," state television quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as saying.

 

The semi-official Tasnim news agency published pictures showing the Guards' speed boats escorting the tanker HANKUK CHEMI, which it said was carrying 7,200 tonnes of ethanol.

 

Iranian naval vessels have reportedly seized a South Korean-flagged tanker and its crew in the Gulf that Tehran says was polluting the seaway. But the incident comes as Iran demands the release of $7 billion in funds frozen in South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions. Matthew Larotonda reports

 

It said the vessel's detained crew members included nationals of South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Iran's state TV said the tanker was being held at Iran's Bandar Abbas port city. The ship had 20 crew members, according to South Korea's foreign ministry.

 

The U.S. State Department called for Iran to release the tanker immediately.

 

"The regime continues to threaten navigational rights and freedoms in the Persian Gulf as part of a clear attempt to extort the international community into relieving the pressure of sanctions," a State Department representative said.

 

The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet is aware of the incident and is monitoring the situation, spokeswoman Rebecca Rebarich said in response to a Reuters query.

 

The incident comes ahead of an expected visit by South Korea's deputy foreign minister to Tehran. Khatibzadeh said the visit would happen in coming days, during which officials would discuss Iran's demand that South Korea release $7 billion in funds frozen in South Korean banks because of U.S. sanctions.

 

NUCLEAR DEAL

The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after Washington withdrew from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers. Under that deal, Iran had agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

 

Iran has retaliated by bypassing the restrictions of the deal step-by-step. In a move that could complicate efforts by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal, Tehran said on Monday it had resumed 20% uranium enrichment at its underground Fordow nuclear facility.

 

British firm Ambrey said the South Korean-flagged vessel, owned by DM Shipping Co, had departed from the Petroleum Chemical Quay in Jubail, in Saudi Arabia, before the incident.

 

Another maritime security firm, Dryad Global, said on its website the chemical tanker had "likely been detained by Iranian forces" in the Strait of Hormuz while inbound to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

 

In early 2019, Iran jacked up tensions in the world's busiest oil waterway by seizing British-flagged tanker Stena Impero, two weeks after a British warship had intercepted an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar.

 

(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Dubai and Jonathan Saul in LondonAdditional reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul and Yousef Saba in Dubai, and Arshad Mohammed and Daphne Psaledakis in WashingtonWriting by Ghaida Ghantous and Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Gareth Jones and Matthew Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-05

 

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[Tug]

Sounds to me like a perfect time for South Korea to exercise their mastery of the cyber world against Iran 

[Kelsall]

Iran thinks their buddy  Biden is already president

[Sujo]

6 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Iran thinks their buddy  Biden is already president

But he isnt. So what is trump going to do about it, just walk to the 2nd tee?

[Patong2021]

31 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Iran thinks their buddy  Biden is already president

 Please stop with the nonsensical politicking.  President to be Biden is no friend of Iran.Iran move because Trump is finished and USA has no direction now because Trump only cares about his failing coup d'etat. USA has put South Korea  in crosshairs of Iran.  That's the issue. The USA brings others into its fight with its political opponents.  They did this to Canada with Huawei and then ran away leaving Canada to  be punished by China. No help for Australia who are fighting Chia aggression. .   I am not a supporter of Iran and what it did is wrong, but USA makes problems for many countries and then does not help.

[Ron jeremy]

Time to deal with Iran 

once and for all!

[Sujo]

4 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

Time to deal with Iran 

once and for all!

Yes, try to get them to sign an agreement that they were sticking to and dont just pull out of it.

[ezzra]

Just prior to the new year, the USS Nimitz, a massive aircraft carrier that anchors US power in the Middle East, was told to come “directly” home. US Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller thanked the carrier and the 5,000 sailors and Marines of its strike group for their work. Ninety-six hours later, the Nimitz got another order to “halt its routine redeployment” and remain on station in the area of US Central Command...

from Ha'aretz newspepers

So what Trump has in minds to do about Iran only trump knows...

...

[onthedarkside]

A trolling post has been removed.

[Patong2021]

28 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

Time to deal with Iran  once and for all!

 

Ok. As a reminder, There are 200+ oil tankers  now in the Persian Gulf. Please consider what would happen if you get your attack or war.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Patong2021

[vandeventer]

If South Korea attacks Iran they will have plenty of friends joining in on the fight!

[Dumbastheycome]

I just hope this escalation is not due to Trump instructing covert agitation as an excuse to deliver his personal coup d'etat  for being ousted ! The domino effect  could be  massive !

[Bender Rodriguez]

so pirates, right ...as iran does not have water rights overthere

[Sujo]

33 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

If South Korea attacks Iran they will have plenty of friends joining in on the fight!

And that would be good how? You like war?

[UncleMhee]

5 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Clarification of quote selection

Edited January 5, 2021 by UncleMhee
Clarification of quote selection

[UncleMhee]

5 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Time to deal with Iran once and for all!

Perhaps it's time to deal with the real warmongers once and for all, America; through ostracizing it from the rest of the world......

Edited January 5, 2021 by UncleMhee

[stevenl]

Why does the US get involved in this?

 

The Iranian explanation is very plausible. True or not I don't know.

[condohope]

What would you do if your money in a bank is halted because a third party demands so? One of the reasons why Americans have a hard time to open an account in foreign countries.

[pacovl46]

8 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Time to deal with Iran 

once and for all!

You mean the USA! 

[ChouDoufu]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Seoul confirmed the seizure of a South Korean chemical tanker by Iranian authorities in the waters off Oman, and demanded its immediate release.

 

Several Iranian media outlets, including state TV, said the Guards navy captured the vessel for polluting the Gulf with chemicals.

 

has anyone bothered to confirm the vessel had been leaking chemicals?

[Scott Tracy]

Face it. It's all politics. Saudi hates Iran, others hate each other. The US ends up telling countries that they cannot do business with it unless they comply with its rules. These countries get caught in the middle. Same old story, do it our way, or we'll find ways to make you. Gunboat diplomacy by another name. Perhaps this why the US has been at war or in conflict during 93% of its existence.

[liddelljohn]

Clearly Piracy on the high seas ,,  pirates used to be hanged  or drowned

[ThaiFelix]

51 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

has anyone bothered to confirm the vessel had been leaking chemicals?

No, no-one is interested in that, better to just jump to conclusions and blame Iran.

[ThailandRyan]

Foolish of Iran to think that this would give them a better bargaining chip in the world.  I would not be surprised if the mountain where they have their centrifuges and plutonium enrichment process ongoing does not end up becoming nothing but rubble.  Tit for Tat.  South Korea has some very strong allies.  Is Iran puffing out its chest and hoping that the fatman in North Kore comes to their aid if the South Koreans act decisively?  This will be interesting and not a Mexican standoff in my view.

[ThaiFelix]

48 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

Face it. It's all politics. Saudi hates Iran, others hate each other. The US ends up telling countries that they cannot do business with it unless they comply with its rules. These countries get caught in the middle. Same old story, do it our way, or we'll find ways to make you. Gunboat diplomacy by another name. Perhaps this why the US has been at war or in conflict during 93% of its existence.

This whole mess started because the meddling US did not accept the democratically elected leader of Iran.  Everything must suit the interests of the US of lies, so the CIA set about its dirty business to overturn the popular leader and replace him with their puppet the corrupt Shah Pahlavi.  Naturally, like ANY other country would do, the Iranians eventually stood up to the USA and kicked them and the Shah out.   The USA has never forgotten their audacity and punishes them to this day.  It is no wonder the Iranians hate the US government.

 

Look back at history and it is clear to see how most of the problems today in the middle east can be traced back to the false promises, back stabbing and exploitation by the US and other western nations.

 

GO HOME YANKEE!

[Dumbastheycome]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

has anyone bothered to confirm the vessel had been leaking chemicals?

I think it  could  be safe to assume the accusation of pollution is a pretext  for retaliation for not  forwarding payment owed to Iran. South Korea is a major importer of  oil so to with hold payment in  obeyance to the US  is as  questionable as Iran's  seizure of this vessel.

Iran in recent days has  given notice of it's resolution to give the middle finger  to the various levels of  suppression  inflicted  by the US (Trump's) sanctions and openly announced  resumption of refining  nuclear  material beyond  conditions it has  continued  to mostly adhere  to despite the US  withdrawal from agreement.

Typically the US  has manipulated a political standoff issue involving  geographical locations  outside it's own territory that could  escalate to  military conflict which it would   "support"  with   "supply".

Is it  coincidental that  "peace  agreements" in the middle east between non warring nations actually mostly  proclaim resumption of air corridors? Yet none of those  so grandly acclaimed  have actually  eliminated  the reality of overt issues involved in the  Middle East  overall?

There is a change coming  quickly to the division of "power" in the world and  like it or not if it is  not achieved  diplomatically  it will become a devastation !

The  choice  exists.

 

[Dumbastheycome]

28 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

This whole mess started because the meddling US did not accept the democratically elected leader of Iran.  Everything must suit the interests of the US of lies, so the CIA set about its dirty business to overturn the popular leader and replace him with their puppet the corrupt Shah Pahlavi.  Naturally, like ANY other country would do, the Iranians eventually stood up to the USA and kicked them and the Shah out.   The USA has never forgotten their audacity and punishes them to this day.  It is no wonder the Iranians hate the US government.

 

Look back at history and it is clear to see how most of the problems today in the middle east can be traced back to the false promises, back stabbing and exploitation by the US and other western nations.

 

GO HOME YANKEE!

Unfortunately   you are  not wrong ! History does demonstrate the repetitive cycle of domination that  comes and goes.

The question is when will humanity  develop the intellectual maturity  to respect itself and break the  cycle?

Or is humanity still so incapable ? To date  the proclamations of  "advances" in  human "rights" have demonstrated little other than technologically manipulated usage  for advanced  exploitation and social inequity proportional to population on an exponential scale!

[Benmart]

11 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 Please stop with the nonsensical politicking.  President to be Biden is no friend of Iran.Iran move because Trump is finished and USA has no direction now because Trump only cares about his failing coup d'etat. USA has put South Korea  in crosshairs of Iran.  That's the issue. The USA brings others into its fight with its political opponents.  They did this to Canada with Huawei and then ran away leaving Canada to  be punished by China. No help for Australia who are fighting Chia aggression. .   I am not a supporter of Iran and what it did is wrong, but USA makes problems for many countries and then does not help.

Suggest you look up the meaning of "coup d'etat". Did you vote to remove President Trump, or are your comments concerning him the usual, toothless rhetoric about this outgoing President?

[impulse]

11 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Time to deal with Iran 

once and for all!

 

So, it's okay for South Korea to seize $7 billion in Iranian money, but it's not okay for Iran to seize a S. Korean ship?

 

[Ron jeremy]

On 1/5/2021 at 9:25 AM, impulse said:

 

So, it's okay for South Korea to seize $7 billion in Iranian money, but it's not okay for Iran to seize a S. Korean ship?

 

Yes, any other questions?