TEHRAN — A Marshal Islands-flagged cargo vessel seized by Iranian forces as it was traversing the Strait of Hormuz last month will likely be released in two days, after it pays a fine, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday. The April 28 seizure of MV Maersk Tigris followed a legal complaint by an Iranian private company, Marzieh Afkham told reporters during her weekly press conference. "This is an absolutely legal matter," she said. "The ship has a private plaintiff and there was a lawsuit in progress against it. The vessel was seized as it entered Iran's territorial waters." Afkham added that "negotiations between the private complainant and the other party" were underway and that, "based on the information we have acquired, it is likely that the dispute will be settled within the next two days." Iranian forces boarded the ship after firing warning shots across the bridge and later took it to Bandar Abbas, the main port of Iran's navy, under escort by Iranian patrol boats. Danish shipping company Maersk Line, which chartered the container ship from Rickmers Ship Management in Singapore, insisted it had no "special cargo" such as military equipment. — AP
