Iran has denied accusations from Israel that it was involved in the seizure of a British cargo ship in the Red Sea by Houthi forces in Yemen last week.
"We have stated many times that resistance groups in the region operate independently and spontaneously, based on the interests of themselves and their people," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said today.
Kanaani’s comments came after Yemen’s Houthi forces claimed on November 19 that they had brought an Israeli cargo ship to their shores. Israeli officials said the same day that the ship was being seized while sailing from Türkiye to India. The ship was not owned by Israel or had any Israeli citizens on board.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office called it a "very serious event on a global scale" and an "Iranian terrorist act" that had consequences for international maritime security.
Spokesman Kanaani denied the accusations, saying Israel's statement was intended to distract attention from Tel Aviv's "irreversible defeat" in the war with Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip.
Galaxy Leader ship near Queensland, Australia in November 2018. Photo: Reuters
Japan confirmed today that the captured ship is named Galaxy Leader, operated by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen. Japan is negotiating with the Houthis while seeking support from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran to help the force quickly release the ship.
"We strongly condemn this act," said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. There were no Japanese citizens among the crew.
Galaxy Leader is owned by Ray Car Carriers, a shipping company based in the Isle of Man, UK. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group, Ray Car Carriers is a joint venture of Ray Shipping, based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Ray Car Carriers and Ray Shipping have not commented on the information. Nippon Yusen said the company has set up a special team to collect information, including the safety of 25 sailors from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and Mexico.
The Galaxy Leader, a car carrier, was en route from Europe to India and was not carrying any cargo, according to a Nippon Yusen spokesman.
Location of Yemen and the Red Sea. Graphic: AFP
The Houthis are an Iran-backed militant group that controls large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. They are fighting a Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to restore the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who lives in exile.
The Houthis say they are part of an “axis of resistance” against Israel, which includes armed groups in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq backed by Iran. Iran is believed to support Hamas financially and militarily, but has repeatedly denied involvement in the group’s attack on Israel on October 7.
Nhu Tam (According to Reuters )
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