Iran frees S.Korean ship, months later

The South Korean tanker ship and its captain that were detained by Iran in January, have been now been freed after South Korea promised to try and release Iranian funds that have been frozen in South Korean banks because of U.S. sanctions.

That's according to a South Korean government source.

The tanker was seized in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman by Iranian authorities, who had accused it of polluting the waters with chemicals.

A diplomatic emergency arose when, separately, Tehran was demanding that Seoul release $7 billion in frozen funds.

20 crew members except the captain were released in February after a South Korean delegation visited Iran.

Both the South Korean foreign ministry's statement and Iranian state news agency's report on the ship did not mention the demand for the release of funds.

The news also comes as Iran and the United States have began informal talks this week over salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has denied allegations that the seizure of the tanker and its crew constituted hostage-taking, saying it was South Korea that was holding Iranian funds hostage.