IRANIAN VESSELS SEIZED IN SINGAPORE ON PUBLIC AUCTION

SINGAPORE, Dec 9 (Bernama) -– Three Iranian container vessels whose owner
claimed were seized for political reasons in Singapore waters recently, are now
on sale at a public auction here.

Singapore Supreme Court documents showed the German-registered vessels,
'Tuchal', 'Sahand', and 'Sabalan', are under the Sheriff’s sale and their
auction is dated Dec 14.

The Sheriff, who is also the Registrar of the Supreme Court, conducts the
sale of seized goods or property belonging to those who default on debts.

Iranian media Wednesday quoted Islamic Republic of Iran's Shipping Lines
(IRISL) managing director Mohammad Hossein Dajmar as describing the ship seizure
as “politically motivated”.

"The measure was not due to Iran's debts, it came due to sanctions and we
are trying to solve it," he told Tehran’s Iranian Students News Agency when
asked whether the measure was due to Iran's debts.

He said "the seizure came a few days ago" but court papers showed that
'Tuchal' was detained on Sept 9, while 'Sahand' and 'Sabalan', Sept 14.

Dajmar explained to Tehran Times that the Singapore court ordered that the
ships be seized, claiming Iran had not paid off a loan it received from a bank
in France.

He said IRISL had obtained a loan from a French bank to purchase the ships
and it had settled all the debts.