Iran announced on Friday that the release of the South Korean ship which was held by Tehran over violating environmental protocols.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the Iranian prosecutor ordered the release of the ship.
The order came after “completion of the investigation into the violation of the Korean ship and at the request of the owner and the Korean government for the release,” Iranian media quoted the spokesman as saying.
The prosecutor ordered the ship’s release because the captain and the ship did not have a bad record in the field of violating rules in the region, Khatibzadeh added.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country with long coastlines in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, emphasizes the full observance of maritime regulations, including regulations on environmental protection, and monitors and follows up any violations in this regard,” he noted.
South Korean Foreign Ministry also confirmed Friday that Iran released the South Korean oil tanker and its captain, Yonhap reported.
The ship, with its captain and 12 other crew members aboard, left the port near Bandar Abbas on the southern coast, at around 6 a.m. (Iran time), the ministry said. The crew members had been released earlier but have remained on the ship for maintenance purposes.
The ministry said the captain and the crew members were safe.
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps seized the Hankuk Chemi and its 20 crew members in its waters on January 4, due to the violation of environmental rules.
Source: Iranian media
