FM spox rejects report on summoning Iran envoy by Vietnam

AFP claimed in a news piece that the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hanoi had been summoned by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry following the seizure of the Iranian tanker by IRGC.

The spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday in his weekly press conference about the seizure of the Vietnam-owned oil tanker, "I usually do not comment on the news covered by some foreign media. What is clear is that we are in close contact with the Vietnamese government."

Khatibzadeh continued, "The ship crew have consular access and as soon as the technical issues are resolved, there is no issue regarding the Vietnamese ship and there is no issue of summoning."

The spokesman added, “Regarding false reports by some foreign media that quoted by some American sources, I think what has been said by the Iranian officials so far is clear and no further comment is needed.”

Moreover, the Iranian Fars News Agency quoted an informed source that no summoning had taken place and that the Iranian ambassador was invited to the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and gave some details on the seized oil tanker.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's foreign ministry said in a statement that all crew members of the Iranian-seized tanker were safe and that the tanker's captain was satisfied with the Iranian authorities' way of dealing with them.

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