Said Katipzade, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Iranian Foreign Ministry website capture
Iran re-emphasized the detention of Korean ships on the 4th as a “completely technical problem” related to marine pollution, expressing regret for the Korean government’s response. In addition, even if the first vice-minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-gun visits Iran as the Korean government intended, he expressed a strong position that he would not discuss the issue of ship detention. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Katipjade said in a statement released on the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on the 6th, “We hope that the Korean government will deal with this technical issue logically and responsibly. The Korean government’s actions on this matter are incomprehensible. As stated earlier, the problem of Korean ships is completely technical. As the country with jurisdiction over this matter, Iran’s port and maritime authorities are professionally providing the necessary assistance to ships and crew. According to that, (related facts) will be disclosed to the public.” Spokesman Katipzade said in a statement posted on the website on the night of the 4th, “This issue is completely technical. Because the ship polluted the sea, it was led to the beach and is under the jurisdiction (of Iranian authorities). Like other countries, the Iranian government is sensitive to these crimes that pollute the sea environment. This case will also be handled according to the law.” The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed regret on the Korean government’s response on the 5th. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its plan to resolve the situation early on the 10th by sending a delegation headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bureau of Africa and Middle East to Iran through a regular briefing on the 5th, and sending the first Vice Minister Choi Jong-Geon additionally on the 10th. In response, spokesman Katipjade said, “The visiting of the acting foreign minister has already been discussed and has been made public. This visit will take place in the near future. However, it has nothing to do with this issue (with Vice Minister Choi Jong-gun’s visit). And since this issue has not yet completed legal proceedings within the technical framework, the two countries have not reached an agreement on individual visits. There is no need to make a diplomatic visit.” As Iran repeatedly emphasized that this issue is a technical issue and said that it will’handle it according to its own judicial procedures’, it became difficult to resolve the issue early through diplomatic negotiations, which the government had aimed for. By Gil Yoon-hyung, staff reporter [email protected]