Page 8 - MEOG Week 02 2021

MEOG POLICY MEOG

Iran tells Korea seized tanker

is matter for the courts

IRAN IRAN’S foreign minister, Mohammad Javad before the incident with the vessel—that the
Zarif, told a visiting South Korean delegation case of the Hankuk Chemi was “under review
on January 11 that the release of the Hankuk in the legal and judicial framework”. He also
Chemi oil tanker and its 20 crew seized by Ira- urged South Korea to remove the restrictions on
nian forces last week is a matter for the courts the Iranian funds, calling the frozen assets the
and out of the Iranian government’s hands, state “biggest barrier” to improving relations between
media reported. the two nations. Officials in Iran have suggested
Since the vessel was seized, Iran has been some of the blocked money could be put to use in
attempting to keep the focus on $7bn of oil sale buying coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines.
money frozen in Iranian accounts in South The tanker crew, including sailors from Indo-
Korean banks, a situation Seoul blames on nesia, Myanmar, South Korea and Vietnam,
US sanctions that it says prevent its transfer to remain in custody in Bandar Abbas near the
Tehran. Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials have denied the two issues are Iranian central bank chief Abdolnasser Hem-
linked, simply stating that the tanker was forced mati was cited by Iranian media outlets as saying
into Bandar Abbas port city by the Islamic Rev- Tehran would not accept Seoul pointing to US
olutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) because it was sanctions as the reason for continuing to hold the
polluting the Persian Gulf with chemicals. Iranian funds.
The official IRNA news agency quoted Zarif “I told the South Korean delegation that Iran
as saying in a meeting with South Korea’s first does not accept their pretexts,” said Hemmati.
vice foreign minister Choi Jong-kun—who was He said Iran has recovered resources from other
in Tehran as part of a regional trip arranged countries, but did not name any.™

Iran rules out

renegotiating nuclear deal

IRAN ALI Rabiee, spokesman for Iran’s President Has- stop enriching nuclear material, Iran would do
san Rouhani has said the administration has the same.
ruled out rehashing the Joint Comprehensive Iran’s Foreign Ministry has underlined that
Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tasnim News Agency Tehran will not hold any new talks on what has
reported on January 12. already been agreed on in the JCPOA, but there
Despite the apparent shutting down of talk appears to be room for further discussion on
of a change in the deal, Iran continues to push wider issues including banking and Iran’s actions
buttons with the remaining signatories pushing in the region.
enrichment above 20% and expanding its mili- Washington pulled out of the deal in 2018
tary reach across the region in the runup to the after Donald Trump lambasted the JCPOA “As
incoming Biden administration. the worst deal in history,” to spite his predecessor
“Renegotiation of the JCPOA is impossible, Barack Obama.
as Iran, China and Russia have expressed their Iran resumed enriching uranium to 20% fis-
opposition,” he said. sile strength at the underground Fordow nuclear
He also reminded the Western states plant earlier this month in a further breach of the
that returning to commitments under the nuclear pact with Europe urging the country to
nuclear deal does not need any dialogue and back down.
negotiations. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran
Rabiee repeated previous statements sug- (AEOI) has, meanwhile, started installing
gesting if Biden reverts back to the 2015 deal advanced IR2M (20%) centrifuges in defiance
signed between Iran and several states which of the nuclear agreement, Mehr News Agency
saw sanctions removed in exchange for Iran to reported on January 11.™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 02 13•January•2021