Chinese freighter hijacked by pirates off Iran

A Chinese freighter has been hijacked by pirates off southern Iran, the Chinese embassy in Tehran reported on Friday.

The cargo ship, the "Xianghuamen," belongs to Nanjing Ocean Shipping Co Ltd in Nanjing, eastern China, the embassy said in a posting on its website.

The ship was commandeered Friday morning in the Gulf of Oman near the south Iranian port of Chabahar, the embassy said.

The embassy is in touch with Iranian authorities and has asked the government to take all necessary steps to recover the vessel and its crew safely, according to the statement. There were no other details, including the number of pirates or crew members. An official with Nanjing Ocean Shipping contacted by telephone confirmed the hijacking, but would not provide further information.