US seizure of Iranian vessel endangers patients – Red Crescent official

The US seizure of a cargo vessel bound for Iran has put patients’ lives at risk, as it was carrying essential medical supplies, a senior Iranian Red Crescent (IRCS) official has told RT.

The US Central Command has reported forcing 38 ships to redirect and seizing several tankers and cargo vessels.

According to Razieh Alishvandi, Director for International Affairs at the IRCS, the Iranian-flagged vessel Touska, which was seized by the US Navy on April 19, was transporting eight containers of raw materials for a company linked to the organization.

“Part of this ship’s cargo consisted of raw materials for consumables used in dialysis filters,” she told RT on Monday. “This obviously puts patients’ lives at risk, because without those raw materials human lives are in danger.”

The US blockade of Iranian ports is part of Washington’s broader pressure campaign against Tehran following more than a month of US-Israeli airstrikes aimed at toppling the Iranian government. In response, Tehran has launched attacks on US military positions in the region and imposed restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

Watch the full interview.