Iran Accused Of Using Seized Ships As Pawns In Political Game

…Claire Jungman, chief of staff at the United Against a Nuclear Iran group in the US, agrees the seizure of the Niovi vessel “is related to a payment dispute for a shipment of Iranian oil”. She warned Iran “will likely hold that vessel until it receives payment”. Ms Jungman told The National that other shipping firms might adopt a more cautious approach to the region. “We have already seen Greece issue a series of warnings to ship owners to avoid sailing close to Iranian waters,” she said. “Similarly, the US Department of Transportation issued a warning for vessels to exercise increased caution when transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.”