Iran has demanded a $170 million fine from the owner of a cargo ship it seized in Gulf waters last year, accusing the company of having links to Israel.
The Revolutionary Guards, the military arm of Iran’s regime, intercepted the MSC Aries in April 2024 and detained its 25 international crew members.
At the time, Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that the Portuguese-flagged vessel was “managed by Zodiac, which belongs to the Zionist capitalist Eyal Ofer.”
Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said on Tuesday, October 28, that charges had been filed and the case was before the courts, though no trial date had yet been set. “A fine of $170 million has been demanded against its owner, of Israeli origin, accused of financing terrorism,” Jahangir said.
The United States condemned the seizure at the time, calling it an act of piracy and demanding the release of the crew. Israel’s foreign minister also urged the European Union to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a “terrorist organisation” in response.
According to Jahangir, the ship, excluding its cargo, is valued at $170 million. He further claimed that Eyal Ofer, an Israeli billionaire and shipping magnate, was an “influential figure” within the Israeli government.
The vessel’s seizure occurred amid escalating tensions linked to the Gaza war, which began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel and has since drawn in Iran-backed militant groups across the region.
