Iran continues to detain Indian oil ship citing environment concerns for the sixth day on Saturday even as the two countries are involved in hectic negotiations to resolve the issue.
MT Desh Shanti, the oil ship belonging to the country’s largest ocean liner Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), was apprehended on August 12 in Persian Gulf by Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and taken to Bandar Abbas port while carrying crude from Bashra in Iraq.
India, through its mission in Tehran, is engaged in hectic negotiations for releasing the tanker, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said. The development comes at a time when India, the world’s fourth-largest oil importer, has significantly reduced its import of crude oil from Iran following severe financial sanctions from the western countries against the Islamic republic.
Meanwhile, Iranian embassy in a statement said on Friday that the detention was “purely a technical and non -political issue.” “The officials of the shipping authorities of the two countries are engaged in constructive and positive interaction to resolve it according to the international law as soon as possible,” it said adding the vessel was detained following a warning from the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center.