Detained for three months: Iran releases South Korean tanker

Friday, April 9, 2021

Searched for three months
Iran leaves South Korean tankers

The South Korean tanker “Hanuk Chemie” had been stuck in the Persian Gulf for months – Iran would not allow it to continue. First, Seoul has to release Iranian oil funds to Arabs, which have been frozen due to US sanctions. Now Tehran returns: the ship and its crew are independent.

According to the government in Seoul, three months after a South Korean tanker was arrested in the Persian Gulf, Iran again released the ship. The Foreign Ministry of South Korea said that the captain of the chemical and oil product tanker “Hanuk Chemi” was also released. “The ship survived safely today.” The captain and other crew members are doing well.

The incident created a diplomatic crisis among Asian countries, which were genuinely good friends. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) arrested the tanker earlier this year – he was accused of marine pollution. According to the IRGC, the ship was directed to the monkey city of Abbas, where judicial officers must deal with the alleged violations.

The incident occurred at a time when there was tension between the two sides over frozen Iranian bank accounts in South Korea. The accounts were blocked as a result of US sanctions against Tehran. Iranian central bank governor Abdolansar Hemmati put the amount equal to 5.7 billion euros. The Iranian media spoke of billions of “oil money” that have been frozen.

USA Fund Issuance Involves

Tehran therefore demanded that the accounts be released. In February, the South Korean State Department said that the decision to release the funds could be made only after consultation with the countries concerned, including the United States. The tanker carried 7200 tonnes of petrochemical products. To exert pressure, South Korea then dispatched a destroyer with 300 people to the Gulf region.

At the time the tanker was repaired, the crew had 20 members. The crew was already released in February, except for the captain. To maintain the ship, 13 crew members were aboard the ship.