MNA � Sweden said on Wednesday it was holding talks with Iran, Britain and others over a Swedish-owned, British-flagged tanker seized last week by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

�Sweden is concerned by developments in the Strait of Hormuz. For Sweden and the EU it is vital that freedom of navigation is protected. Given the very serious situation in the region, it is also important that the measures taken help to ease tensions,� the foreign ministry said in a statement, according to Reuters.

�Sweden is conducting a dialogue at various levels with the UK, Iran and other relevant stakeholders... and we hope to find a resolution to the issues and de-escalate the tense situation.�

It is worth mentioning that the owner of the UK-flagged oil tanker 'Stena Impero' that was seized by Iran in the Persian Gulf last week for ignoring international maritime rules, is Swedish-based transport company Stena Bulk.