Iran insists on the need for the immediate release of the crew members of the Iranian merchant ship Touska seized by the United States in the Gulf of Oman, as well as the need to release the families of the crew members present on the ship, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
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Earlier, the Central Command of the US Armed Forces (CENTCOM) confirmed the seizure of the Iranian merchant ship Touska, which was trying to break the American blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
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“The Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the extremely dangerous consequences of these illegal and criminal actions by the United States, insists on the need for the immediate release of the Iranian vessel, its crew and families,” the ministry said in a statement published by the State Television and Radio Company of Iran.
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The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the seizure of the vessel, called the US actions maritime piracy and noted that they are not only a violation of the UN Charter and the foundations of international law, but also a violation of the ceasefire.
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Earlier, Ebrahim Zolfagari, an official representative of the central headquarters of the Iranian military command Khatam al-Anbiya, said that Iran would take “necessary actions” against the US military when it was sure that the crew of the hijacked vessel was safe.
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On February 28, the United States and Israel began attacking targets in Iran, and more than three thousand people became victims of aggression. On April 8, Washington and Tehran announced a two-week cease-fire. The negotiations that took place in Islamabad after that ended in vain. At the same time, the resumption of hostilities was not reported, but the United States began a blockade of Iranian ports. The mediators are trying to organize a new round of negotiations.
