FM spox: S. Korean delegation's trip agreed before seizure of ship

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Thursday that the South Korean delegation arrived in Tehran to discuss Iran's access to its financial resources.

Khatibzadeh said that the delegation that has entered Iran is part of the Deputy Foreign Ministry delegation of South Korea that is scheduled to travel to Tehran on Sunday.

The delegation's trip was agreed upon before the seizure of the South Korean ship, and its main agenda is to discuss how to access Iran's financial resources in South Korea, he added.

On Monday, the IRGC public relations office confirmed that Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps had seized South Korean Hankuk Chemi vessel in the Persian Gulf for violating the environmental protocols.

The vessel had left Saudi Arabia's al-Jubail Port before it was seized by the IRGC naval force.

The South Korean tanker was carrying 7,200 tons of oil-based chemicals and had on board nationals from South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

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