Iran Releases South Korean Oil Tanker Seized Over Frozen Funds

Iran introduced a South Korean oil tanker that experienced been at the middle of a dispute more than punishing U.S. sanctions on Tehran, the exact same day Western and Iranian officials agreed to carry 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. community time on Friday, South Korea’s Overseas Ministry said. Tehran to begin with seized the ship, together with its captain and 19 crew associates, for what it said were being violations of environmental guidelines.

South Korea paid out $one hundred,000 for the launch of the ship—lower than Iran’s inquiring value of $fourteen million, in accordance to a Western official briefed on the talks. The South Korean Overseas Ministry did not reply to requests for comment.

Iran detained the Hankuk Chemi’s captain until Friday. Some of the crew associates experienced been introduced previously and went back again to South Korea, when many others stayed on the ship for upkeep reasons.

“The health and fitness of the crew and captain are audio. The ship’s cargo is also in excellent condition,” the South Korean Overseas Ministry said. A spokesman for Tehran’s Overseas Ministry said the ship was introduced “following the completion of investigations” of its alleged misconduct.