CHISINAU -- A Moldovan government official says 12 Iranian transport ships were temporarily registered under the Moldovan flag from May to July.
Deputy Transport Minister Boris Gherasim told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service that the registrations were canceled after Moldovan authorities were informed that the 12 Iranian cargo vessels were prohibited from sailing by Western sanctions against Tehran.
Gherasim did not say who asked the Moldovan authorities to withdraw the authorizations, but added that the ships did not include oil tankers.
A Maltese online newspaper, the Independent Online, on August 12 reported that Iran had transferred registration of at least eight ships to Moldova to avoid international sanctions imposed by the West over Tehran's suspect nuclear activities.
Deputy Transport Minister Boris Gherasim told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service that the registrations were canceled after Moldovan authorities were informed that the 12 Iranian cargo vessels were prohibited from sailing by Western sanctions against Tehran.
Gherasim did not say who asked the Moldovan authorities to withdraw the authorizations, but added that the ships did not include oil tankers.
A Maltese online newspaper, the Independent Online, on August 12 reported that Iran had transferred registration of at least eight ships to Moldova to avoid international sanctions imposed by the West over Tehran's suspect nuclear activities.