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South Korea dispatches anti-piracy unit after Iran seizes oil tanker

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement Monday that the vessel was seized over "environmental pollution."
A picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim on January 4, 2021, shows the South Korean-flagged tanker being escorted by Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy after being seized in the Gulf. - "A Korean ship was seized in Persian Gulf waters by the Revolutionary Guard's navy and transferred to our country's ports," Fars news agency said without naming the vessel. "This tanker had a South Korea flag and was seized over oil pollution and environmental hazards," it added. (Photo by - / TASNIM NEWS

Iran has seized a South Korean-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf over environmental concerns, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday amid mounting tensions with Washington over Tehran’s nuclear activities. 

The semi-official Tasnim news agency published photos of the vessel, identified as the Hankuk Chemi, which the outlet said was transporting 7,200 tons of ethanol before the IRGC's naval forces intercepted it at 10 a.m. local time Monday. 

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