Iran demands $170 million fine from owner of seized cargo ship

Iran has demanded a $170 million fine from the owner of a cargo ship it seized last year, accusing him of ties to Israel, a judicial official said on October 28.

On October 28, Iranian judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said charges had been filed and the case was before the courts, although no trial date has been set, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"A fine of $170 million has been demanded against its owner, of Israeli origin, accused of financing terrorism," Jahangir said.

The MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged vessel, was intercepted in April 2024 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of Iran's military, and its 25 international crew members were detained. At the time, the official IRNA news agency reported that the vessel was "managed by Zodiac, which belongs to the Zionist capitalist Eyal Ofer."

Jahangir added that the ship, excluding its cargo, was valued at $170 million and described Ofer – an Israeli billionaire and shipping magnate – as an "influential figure" within the Israeli government.

The seizure drew international condemnation at the time. The United States called it an act of piracy and urged Iran to release the crew, while Israel’s foreign minister called on the European Union to designate the Revolutionary Guards as a "terrorist organisation." Some crew members were later released.

By Sabina Mammadli