Iran is Committed to Freedom of Navigation in Persian Gulf

By Sabina Zawadzki, Jonathan Saul and Louis Charbonneau

COPENHAGEN/LONDON/NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) – Iran’s international minister advised a New York City viewers on Wednesday that Tehran respects freedom of navigation within the Gulf, a day after Iranian patrol boats seized a Danish container ship in one of many world’s busiest oil transport lanes.

“The Persian Gulf is our lifeline … We will respect international navigation,” Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stated throughout a dialogue hosted by New York University’s Center on International Cooperation and the assume tank New America. “For us, freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf is a must.”

Danish transport firm Maersk stated the crew of the Maersk Tigris was protected and “in good spirits.” Iranian authorities seized the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel within the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, spurring the United States to ship army vessels to watch the state of affairs.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf stated the United States had “full authority and responsibility for security and defense matters” associated to the Marshall Islands, together with ships flying their flag.

“I do know they’ve requested assistance for the release, I haven’t heard the nature of that request, though,” Harf advised a day by day briefing.

The incident occurred at a important juncture in U.S.-Iranian relations, which might thaw ought to a tentative nuclear deal between Tehran and 6 world powers together with Washington be clinched. It additionally coincides with heightened rigidity between regional archrivals Iran and Saudi Arabia over the escalating civil battle in Yemen, by which they assist opposing sides.

The vessel was anchored at 1658 GMT (12:58 p.m. EDT) on Wednesday not far off Iran’s mainland and near the main Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, based on Reuters ship monitoring information.

Maersk stated in an announcement that it was in communication with the Danish Foreign Ministry and making an attempt to determine why the Maersk Tigris had been diverted.

Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization stated a courtroom had ordered the ship seized after ruling in opposition to Maersk Line in a case about money owed introduced by Pars Talaie, an Iranian firm.

Zarif advised the viewers on Wednesday that Maersk was required to pay damages on the idea of a courtroom order. He stated the authorized proceedings had been happening for some 14 years.

“Simply, our naval forces implemented the decision of the court,” Zarif stated in New York, characterizing Maersk’s actions as “peculiar.”

Tasnim, an Iranian information company, quoted a Pars Talaie lawyer as saying the debt concerned a cargo that Pars Talaie had employed Maersk to take from the Iranian port of Abadan to Dubai greater than a decade in the past however which by no means arrived.

The 65,000-tonne ship is managed and crewed by Rickmers Shipmanagement however on rent to Maersk Line, the transport unit of Maersk, the world’s largest container transport concern.

Maersk stated it didn’t personal the ship and that it was making an attempt to determine the details of any authorized case. Rickmers stated the Maersk Tigris was owned by a gaggle of personal buyers.

Maersk stated the vessel was confronted in worldwide waters whereas Rickmers stated the incident occurred in a well known worldwide transport lane.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING LANE

“The information we had from the (ship’s) master at the time of the approach by the Iranian navy … was that he was at that particular time … in an international shipping lane,” Rickmers spokesman Cor Radings stated.

“It is the Strait of Hormuz, which is literally in Iranian waters. But there is an internationally acknowledged shipping corridor in international waters which is used by commercial shipping.”

Radings stated there have been 24 crew members on the vessel, largely from Eastern Europe and Asia, though there was additionally a British nationwide amongst them. The crew was “in relatively good condition and safe” onboard the vessel, which was not broken.

“We have now been able to communicate with the vessel, which we were unable to do for quite a long period after she was taken deeper into Iranian waters. We have no official contact with the Iranians so far or any official documentation or notification,” he stated.

The Danish Foreign Ministry stated it was monitoring the state of affairs carefully and involved with Maersk.

Global transport and logistics agent GAC cautioned vessel house owners to remain in shut contact with safety facilities whereas within the Gulf. “No changes have been made to the recommendations for transiting the area in light of the incident, though vigilance and caution is advised,” it stated. (Additional reporting by Sam Wilkin in Dubai and Emily Stephenson in Washington; Writing by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Toni Reinhold and Jonathan Oatis)

Full protection: Maersk Tigris Seizure