Montenegrin sailors aboard a ship seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz are in good condition, said Montenegro's Minister of Maritime Affairs, Filip Radulović.
They are on the MSC Francesca, a Panama-flagged vessel, one of two ships captured by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy on accusations of violating rules and attempting to "secretly leave" the Strait of Hormuz.
Radulović told Radio Television of Montenegro that representatives of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs are in contact with the captain of the MSC Francesca, who is a Montenegrin citizen, and that he confirmed everyone on board is well and in stable condition.
"The ship is anchored nine nautical miles off the Iranian coast. Negotiations between the MSC company and Iran are going well. Our sailors are fine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is informed of developments. We are also in contact with the MSC Francesca company. This morning we had a conversation with the ship's captain, who is a Montenegrin citizen," Radulović said on Wednesday evening.
He stated that the sailors' families have been promised that the state will do everything to bring them home.
Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to media reports, announced that the MSC Francesca was "forcibly" moved into Iranian waters.
Panama accused Iran of violating international law, stating that this action constitutes a "serious attack on maritime security" and an "unnecessary escalation" of tensions.
According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' announcement, the MSC Francesca and the Greek ship Epaminondas were detained on accusations of attempting to "secretly" exit the Strait of Hormuz "without authorization" and for "multiple violations and manipulation of navigation assistance systems, endangering maritime security."
The Guard's navy announced that these ships were transferred to Iranian territorial waters for inspection of cargo and documents.
Shortly after the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies passed before the war.
Despite the ceasefire, Iran continues to block passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.