Iran threatens to block ships accepting compensation from frozen funds

Tehran: Iran’s main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Tuesday that vessels belonging to any country or company accepting compensation from Iran’s frozen assets would not be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB.

A spokesman for the headquarters rejected US President Donald Trump’s statement that ships damaged by Iran in the Gulf would be compensated using Iran’s frozen funds. He said Iran believes the vessels were damaged because of insecurity created by the US military and their use of what he described as an illegal and unsafe shipping route south of the Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The spokesman said Iran’s armed forces would bar the vessels of any country or company accepting such compensation from transiting the strait.

On Monday, President Trump has said Iranian funds controlled by Washington will be used to compensate for damage caused to ships in the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict. Trump made the announcement while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He rejected the suggestion that the United States would use its own funds to reimburse shipping companies. (IANS)

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