Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

Hang said, the Vietnamese representative offices in the RoK and Iran were actively working with relevant agencies of the host countries as well as the owner of the tanker to verify the information and seek assurance of the safety of the Vietnamese crewmembers and a quick settlement of the case.

The Foreign Ministry also contacted the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Transport Ministry to confirm the identity of the Vietnamese sailors on the tanker, and request the companies sending the Vietnamese sailors to work abroad to ensure their legitimate rights and interests.

Following the Foreign Ministry’s directions, Vietnam’s representative offices in Iran and the RoK are keeping a close watch on the case and ready to conduct necessary citizen protection measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese sailors.

Iranian forces seized the Hankuk Chemi, a South Korean tanker, in the Persian Gulf on Monday.Credit...Tasnim News Agency, via Epa