Iran Releases South Korean Oil Tanker Seized Over Frozen Funds

Iran unveiled a South Korean oil tanker that experienced been at the middle of a dispute above punishing U.S. sanctions on Tehran, the identical day Western and Iranian officials agreed to continue on talks aimed at reviving the embattled 2015 nuclear accord.

The Hankuk Chemi, a South Korean-flagged ship that Iran impounded in January, remaining an Iranian port at five:fifty a.m. neighborhood time on Friday, South Korea’s International Ministry claimed. Tehran initially seized the ship, together with its captain and 19 crew customers, for what it claimed were being violations of environmental regulations.

South Korea paid out $a hundred,000 for the launch of the ship—lower than Iran’s inquiring price of $fourteen million, according to a Western formal briefed on the talks. The South Korean International Ministry did not reply to requests for comment.

Iran detained the Hankuk Chemi’s captain until finally Friday. Some of the crew customers experienced been unveiled before and went back to South Korea, whilst other people stayed on the ship for maintenance applications.

“The overall health of the crew and captain are sound. The ship’s cargo is also in good situation,” the South Korean International Ministry claimed. A spokesman for Tehran’s International Ministry claimed the ship was unveiled “following the completion of investigations” of its alleged misconduct.