Iran seized a foreign cargo ship in the Persian Gulf because the company operating the vessel is refusing to settle an outstanding debt to an Iranian private company, an official said.
“A legal complaint by a domestic private company resulted in the seizure of the Marshal Islands-flagged vessel in Iranian waters by the coastguard,” head of the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran Mohammad Sa’eednejad said. The coastguard intercepted the ship, which is on hire to to the MV Maersk Tigris, on the order of a court in Tehran, Press TV quoted him as saying.
“The complaint by a private plaintiff resulted in an order issued on March 17 for the confiscation of assets held by Maersk,” he added.
The ship was sailing in Iranian waters when it was intercepted by the coastguard and diverted toward Larak Island near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
