The Russia-owned vessel Monchegorsk, flying Cyprus' flag, has been docked off the southern Cypriot port of Limassol since January 29 after it was intercepted by the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea for allegedly carrying weapons from Iran.
The Israeli authorities suspected the arms were destined either for Lebanon or the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Cypriot authorities have remained tight-lipped on the specifications of those weapons found on the cargo ship, while they continue to conduct a thorough inspection. But they have ruled out the possibility to return the shipment to Iran.
In reply to how to deal with the weapons, Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou told reporters that Cyprus may confiscate and ask another country to store them.
"That is assuming of course that first we will exclude the possibility of Cyprus storing this," he said.
