SEOUL – South Korea is sending a delegation to Iran today to seek the release of an oil tanker seized in Gulf waters by Iranian forces, with a graduated diplomat to continue with a planned visit to Tehran on Sunday amid tensions over of $ 7 billion in Iranian funds frozen in Korean banks due to US sanctions.
News of the visits came when the Seoul Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador to South Korea for a meeting and called for the early release of the South Korean flag tanker and his crew of 20. He was carrying a cargo of more than 7,000 tonnes of ethanol when he was seized on Monday by what Iranian media said was a violation of pollution.
The incident comes at a time when Iran shows growing signs of willingness to assert its claims in the region, while U.S. President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to take office later this month, succeeding Donald Trump.
On Monday, Tehran also said it resumed enrichment of 20 percent uranium at its underground Fordow nuclear facility: The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after Washington withdrew from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six great powers.
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Asked about the situation of the ship’s crew before his meeting at the Seoul Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iranian ambassador Saeed Badamchi Shabestari told reporters that “everyone is safe”.
Iranian state TV previously quoted a Tehran government official as saying that South Korea’s deputy foreign minister, Choi Jong-kun, had a scheduled visit before the seizure of tanker Hankuk Chemi to discuss Iran’s demand. that the frozen funds were released.
Deputy Minister Choi will discuss “several outstanding issues” between the two countries over the seizure, Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said at a news conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
“As soon as possible, a work delegation led by the regional director will be sent to Iran to try to resolve the issue on the ground through bilateral negotiations,” said spokesman Choi.
Busan-based ship operator Taikun Shipping Co. Ltd. told Reuters that it indicated nothing before the ship was seized that Iranian authorities were investigating possible violations of environmental rules.
“If it was really marine pollution, how do they [Iranian media] say, the coast guard should approach the ship first, “said Taikun managing director Lee Chun-hee by phone.” But instead, armed soldiers approached the crew and said they needed to be investigated. “
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Tuesday that he is making diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the oil tanker and that he has contacted his counterpart in Tehran, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Tilak Doshi, senior visiting researcher at the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore, said the incident is an example of Iran’s willingness to flex its muscles as Joe Biden prepares to take office, and that frozen assets are likely to be lifted. in negotiations with Seoul.
“Undoubtedly, in the negotiations for the release of the oil tanker and his crew, the release of funds by South Korea will be the main demand on the Iranian side,” he said.
Last Sunday, the Tehran Times reported that Iran hoped to negotiate a deal to use frozen funds to “negotiate” doses of vaccines in the fight against the global coronavirus and other commodities pandemic.
According to Yonhap, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Iranian government tried to secure vaccines through the global COVAX initiative, supported by the World Health Organization. Tehran is in negotiations with the US ministry and the Treasury to pay for the South Korean won doses, said Yonhap, citing a ministry source.