Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Oct 3: Iran will pursue in international courts the US attack on and seizure of one of its container ships during the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington in April, a senior Iranian shipping official said, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Mohammad-Reza Modarres Khiabani, CEO of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, made the remarks at a meeting in Tehran while describing as a “war crime” the boarding and seizure of the Iranian-flagged vessel Touska by US forces off the coast of Iran's southeastern Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman on April 19, IRNA reported.

He said the ship was carrying medicines related to the Iranian Red Crescent Society and dialysis patients, and alleged that attacking a commercial vessel during a ceasefire constituted a “war crime and violation of the truce”, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Modarres Khiabani also said that imposing any form of naval blockade violated international law and constituted a “hostile” act. He alleged that the US Navy struck the Touska's engine room and took its 28 crew members hostage.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declined to disclose his next move regarding Iran, saying the situation was “working out very well” and predicting that the conflict would not last long.

Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the White House before departing aboard Marine One.

Asked about his next step regarding Iran, Trump initially suggested that revealing it would make major news.

“That's very, oh, it's -- well, if I told you, you'd have a major story, right? But you'll see. Working out very well. Iran is not doing well,” Trump said.

The President did not elaborate on what action his administration was considering or provide a timetable.

Later in the same exchange with reporters, Trump again referred to Iran while discussing global energy supplies and his efforts to get Europe to put more diesel into the market.