LISBON: Portugal said on Tuesday that it had summoned Iran’s ambassador to condemn Tehran’s attack on Israel and to demand the release of a Portuguese-flagged ship seized over the weekend.
In a statement issued by the foreign ministry on Tuesday, Portugal expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict in the region and called for maximum restraint. The government also strongly condemned the recent attack against Israel, emphasizing the need for de-escalation and dialogue.
The focus of the meeting between Portuguese officials and Iran’s ambassador was the release of the MSC Aries, a container vessel operated by the Italian-Swiss group MSC, which was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday over alleged ties to Israel.
Iran defended its actions, stating that the ship had violated international maritime law and was undergoing necessary investigations. According to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani, the vessel was directed into Iran’s territorial waters due to these violations. He further claimed that the ship’s crew had failed to adequately respond to questions from Iranian authorities and asserted that the vessel belonged to Israel, referring to it as the “Zionist regime.”
The incident occurred just hours before Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israel, deploying hundreds of drones and missiles.
