A picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim on January 4, 2021, shows the South Korean-flagged tanker being escorted by Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy after being seized in the Gulf. (TASNIM NEWS / AFP)

TEHRAN - The South Korean oil tanker Hankuk Chemi was seized on Monday by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf over "repeated violations" of environmental protocols, semi-official news agency Fars reported.

"The tanker, departing from the Saudi port of Al-Jubail, was seized when sailing in the Gulf by the Zulfiqar fleet in the first Naval District of the IRGC for repeated violations of marine environmental laws," the IRGC said in a statement.

The ship was carrying 7,200 tons of chemicals derived from petroleum, and the members of the crew are from South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, according to a statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guards

The ship was carrying 7,200 tons of chemicals derived from petroleum, and the members of the crew are from South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, according to the note.

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After being seized, the vessel was docked at the port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, and the case will be handed over to local judicial authorities for legal process, IRGC further wrote.

According to the statement, the vessel was seized at the request of the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization, by order of the Prosecutor's Office of Iran's Hormozgan province. 

Seoul confirmed the seizure of a South Korean chemical tanker by Iranian authorities in the waters off Oman, and demanded its immediate release. The ship had 20 crew members, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Iranian authorities have yet to comment on the incident, which comes ahead of an expected visit by South Korea’s deputy foreign minister to Tehran.

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The Iranian foreign ministry said on Monday that the visit would happen in coming days and would discuss Iran’s demand that South Korea release US$7 billion in funds frozen in South Korean banks because of US sanctions.

With inputs from Reuters