Iran Says the MSC Aries, a Ship with 17 Indian Crewmen, Was Seized for 'Violating Maritime Laws'

Tehran: According to a statement made by Iran's foreign ministry on Monday, the MSC Aries, the Portuguese-flagged ship thought to have Israeli links, was seized by Iranian commandos for “violating maritime laws,” Reuters reported. The MSC Aries, it may be recalled, was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commandos on April 13 in the Strait of Hormuz. While it was speculated that this seizure on the high seas was carried out in an act of revenge against Israel for the the airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Tehran has claimed that the ship was, in fact, seized due to its non-compliance with international maritime laws. 

“Iran strives to create a safe shipping environment in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf. The vessel was diverted into Iran's territorial waters as a result of violating maritime laws and not answering calls made by Iranian authorities,” said Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry. The spokesperson also said that there was ‘no doubt’ that the ship was linked to Iran. 

MSC leased the seized cargo ship from Gortal Shopping which is an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac, it has been reported, is partly owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Zodiac has said that MSC is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the vessel. 

MSC made its own statement following the seizure, confirming that the ship was seized by Iran and that the company was working with the concerned authorities to ensure the return of the ship and its crew, which includes 17 Indian nationals.

After the seizure, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned Iran's move as an act of piracy and IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Iran would “bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.”