Portugal is currently in communication with Iranian authorities following the seizure of a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship by Iran on Saturday morning. The vessel in question, MSC Aries, is owned by Zodiac Maritime Limited, a company based in London, as confirmed by the Portuguese government.
Fortunately, there are no Portuguese citizens reported to be on board the MSC Aries, neither as part of the crew nor in command positions. The exact number of individuals aboard the ship at the time of the seizure has not been disclosed.
The incident took place near the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy conducted a helicopter operation to intercept the container ship. The vessel is now being escorted to Iranian waters, as reported by the state news agency IRNA.