BUSHEHR The Iranian Ports and Shipping Organization's Director General for Environment Safety, Hassan Teimourtash, said on Monday that Iran will evacuate the cargo of an Iraqi oil tanker which sank in the Persian Gulf for unknown reason on August 5.

He said that the IPSO has entered into a contract with a private company to transfer the cargo of the Iraqi oil tanker from the Persian Gulf.

Teimourtash told IRNA that the oil tanker carrying 1,900 tons of heavy fuels sank 45 miles west of Kharg Island in the southern Bushehr Province. Unfortunately about 100 tons of the fuels spilt to the waters of the Persian Gulf, causing pollution.

"Immediately, after the the oil tanker sank in the Persian Gulf, Kuwait and Iran dispatched rescue ships to the area so that the Iranian and Kuwaiti ships initiated measures to stop oil slicks in the waters of the persian gulf and prevent further environmental pollution. Qatar also took action in this respect," he said.

He expressed concern about the dangers posed by oil slicks to marine species and said that the Iranian Ports and Shipping Organization will do its best to safeguard the environment of the Persian Gulf.