Iran denies releasing pirated Maersk's ship

.@CBSDavidMartin "Pentagon lawyers have determined..US has no obligation to come to the defense of a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel at sea"
— Major Garrett (@MajorCBS) April 28, 2015

Iran denies releasing pirated  Maersk's ship. (Taz).

Iran denied releasing the seized ship belongs to the Maersk Line cargo an hour after Al-Jazeera quoted Iranian sources as saying that Tehran had released the ship and that none of the crew members were detained.

Fars News Agency quoted the Maritime Deputy Director of Iran’s Ports and Sailing Organization Hadi Haqshenas April 29 as saying the seized ship is still under arrest.

A Maersk Line cargo ship seized in the Strait of Hormuz by the Islamic Republic was because of some unpaid debt. Maersk Line owes some money to an Iranian company and the court has ruled that Maersk should pay the debt, he said.

Maersk Line is the global container division and the largest operating unit of the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group, a Danish business conglomerate. It is world's largest container shipping company having customers through 374 offices in 116 countries.

On April 28 Iranian patrol vessels fired warning shots and ordered the ship to sail further into Iranian waters when the ship was passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Shippingwatch.

At first, Maersk Tigris ignored the order, but after the warning shots it obeyed. The ship is registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

Haqshenas said a complaint by an Iranian company resulted in a court ruling on March 16 which demanded the debt be paid.

The arrest was carried out by the Coast Guard and authorized by Iran’s Joint Staff of Armed Forces. Hmmmm...........

UPDATE:  Iran says Maersk ship arrested ‘for debt’

Iran's official news agency IRNA reports that the seizure of the Maersk Tigris was because of an outstanding warrant by an Iranian court against the Maersk shipping lines.

IRNA said the warrant was issued after a private Iranian company had filed a claim that Maersk owed money to the company.

The explanation offered by IRNA creates more questions than answers.

The IRGC Navy is sent to intercept and seize a cargo ship at the Strait of Hormuz to enforce a civil law suit by an private company in Iran against a shipping giant during a tense period in the region. Highly unusual, indeed! 

According to the Navigation and Ports Organization public relations bureau, the decree was issued upon a complaint lodged by a private company named 'Pars-Talaeeyeh Oil Products Company' manager Hamid Reza Jahanian against MAERSK Shipping Line.

The case passed its legal proceedings and finally MAERSK was sentenced to pay financial damages.

In the framework of international and domestic law and regulations the court ruling was notified to the organization, as the national governing body for marine affairs and was implemented by the coastguards.

The organization underlined that the issue is merely a legal case and has nothing to do with political issues. The Navigation and Ports Organization said that the lawsuit is being administered by the Judiciary.

@EjmAlrai 100% Agree, this is not the end, but the beginning of a world 'OIL & Goods' hostage situation #MaerskTigris pic.twitter.com/W7GwutPfHO
— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) April 29, 2015

#MaerskTigris managed by Rickmers Trust, who have told #LloydsList vessel was in international waters when captured
— David Osler (@finance_LL) April 28, 2015