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Fate of seized South Korean tanker, crew out of Iran’s hands, says foreign minister

The decision is the latest in a growing financial dispute between Tehran and Seoul ignited by US sanctions.

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A picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim on Jan. 4, 2021, shows the South Korean-flagged tanker being escorted by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps navy after being seized in the Gulf. — TASNIM NEWS/AFP via Getty Images

The release of South Korea’s seized oil tanker and its crew is now a matter of the courts and out of the hands of the Iranian government, Iran’s foreign minister said Monday. The decision is the latest in a growing financial dispute between Tehran and Seoul ignited by US sanctions.

Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted by state news agency IRNA as announcing the decision to a South Korean delegation that had visited Tehran on Monday to press for the release of the tanker and its crew.

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