Iranian state media confirmed today, Friday, that Tehran denied ownership of an oil shipment carried by a giant tanker flying the Iranian flag that was detained by Indonesia last week. The Iranian oil ministry did not identify the owner of the shipment aboard the giant tanker (MT Arman 114), which is suspected of involvement in the illegal transport of crude oil. The Indonesian coast guard announced on July 11 that it had detained the tanker. The ministry's statement mentioned, "The reported news linking this ship's shipment to Iran is not correct and aims to create a negative atmosphere against our country."
The Iranian foreign ministry criticized the United States for leading a proposal in the United Nations International Maritime Organization to cancel Tehran's attempt to host a maritime-related event in October. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a statement reported by state media, "The American move has proven that there are no limits to that country's political exploitation of technical and specialized UN bodies."
The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's naval force stated yesterday, Thursday, that Tehran would respond to any oil company that unloads Iranian oil from a tanker currently detained outside the Port of Houston amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.
