Portugal says it summoned Iranian ambassador to demand it release seized ship

Portugal says it summoned Iran’s ambassador to condemn Tehran’s attack on Israel and to demand the release of a Portuguese-flagged ship seized in the Gulf over the weekend.

“The Portuguese government expressed its profound concern over the escalation of conflict in the region, calling for maximum restraint” and “reiterated in a vehement and categorical manner the recent attack against the state of Israel,” the foreign ministry says in a statement.

“The meeting also allowed a renewed call to immediately release the MSC Aries ship,” a container vessel operated by the Italian-Swiss group MSC that was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday over alleged links to Israel.

On Monday, Iran said the ship had violated international maritime law and was undergoing “necessary investigations.”