Germany condemns tanker seizure by Iran, urges release of ship, crew

Germany on Saturday condemned the "unjustifiable" seizure by Iran of two merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and said the move dangerously exacerbated an already tense situation in the area. Iran seized the Stena Impero, a British-flagged tanker, on Friday.

"We urge Iran to release (this)... ship and its crew immediately," a German foreign ministry spokesman said. A further escalation of regional tensions "would be very dangerous (and)... undermine all ongoing efforts to find a way out of the current crisis," the spokesman said in a statement.

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