HANOI: Vietnam was seeking more information on Thursday about a Vietnamese oil tanker that was seized at gunpoint last month by Iranian soldiers in the Gulf of Oman, while vowing to ensure the safety and humane treatment of the ship’s crew members.
Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard troops on Oct. 24 took control of the MV Southys, a vessel that analysts suspect of trying to transfer sanctioned Iranian crude oil to Asia. US forces had monitored the seizure but ultimately did not take action as the vessel sailed into Iranian waters.
The episode was the latest provocation in Mideast waters as tensions escalate between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Vietnamese officials “continue to closely follow the developments and work closely with Iranian authorities to resolve this issue in accordance with the law and enact necessary measures to safeguard the rights and interests of Vietnamese nationals,” Pham Thu Hang, deputy spokesperson in Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday.
The captain of the MV Southys told the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran that all 26 crew members were being treated well and were in “normal health,” Hang told reporters at a scheduled briefing.
Iran celebrated its capture of the vessel in dramatic footage aired on state television Wednesday, the day before the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran.
Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press from MarineTraffic.com showed the vessel still off Iran’s southern port of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday. A satellite photo from Planet Labs Inc. also showed the vessel off Bandar Abbas in recent days.
Vietnam seeks information from Iran about seized oil tanker
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Vietnam seeks information from Iran about seized oil tanker
- The vessel’s seizure is the latest provocation in Mideast waters as tensions escalate between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear program
UN rights chief urges Iran to end violent crackdown, warns against death penalty
- Volker Turk: ‘The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop’
- Iranians’ grievances must be heard and addressed, and ‘not instrumentalized by anyone’
NEW YORK: The UN high commissioner for human rights on Tuesday urged Iran to immediately halt violence and repression against peaceful protesters, restore full access to the internet and telecommunications, and ensure accountability for serious human rights violations.
Volker Turk said he is horrified by reports of mounting violence by security forces against demonstrators across Iran, with hundreds reported killed and thousands arrested since protests erupted earlier this month.
“The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop, and the labeling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable,” he added.
It is “extremely worrying” to see public statements by Iranian judicial officials indicating the possible use of the death penalty against protesters through expedited judicial proceedings, Turk said.
He added that the protests echo mass demonstrations seen in 2022, with broad segments of the population demanding fundamental changes in governance.
He also criticized authorities for responding with what he described as brutal force to suppress legitimate demands.
“This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue,” he said, adding that all killings, violence against protesters and other alleged abuses must be investigated in line with international human rights standards, and those responsible held to account.
Turk also expressed alarm over reports that hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties, including children, and said nationwide internet and telecommunications shutdowns have hampered verification of events and obstructed independent human rights monitoring.
Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown on Jan. 8, which the UN said has disrupted freedom of expression, access to information, and emergency and lifesaving services. There are also reports that members of Iran’s security forces have been killed during the unrest.
Iranians have the right to demonstrate peacefully, Turk said, adding that their grievances must be heard and addressed, and “not instrumentalized by anyone.”
