Romanian authorities tried successfully to avoid a diplomatic conflict with Iran in mid-August after some 20 workers, most of them Romanians, were caught in a middle of what eventually was settled to be a “trade dispute” that led to the seizure of a Romanian-run oil rig in the Persian Gulf.

The rig was run by Grup Servicii Petroliere - GSP, a Romanian company that accused Iran of attacking the rig with projectiles before taking control of it - and of the workers on the platform.

The team of workers were released after several hours, it emerged after a couple of days in which most Iranian authorities remained silent on the issue.

When Tehran broke the silence, it said - via the media and its Ambassador to Bucharest - that the GSP was to blame for the entire situation as the company was involved in a series of irregularities involving this rig and another platform in the Gulf region.

The situation was solved as Romanian President Traian Basescu had a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart to clear things up.

In Bucharest, many economy analysts quoted by the media claimed that the conflict hid secret financial interests related to an alleged GSP push to force better payments for its oil prospect operations in the Gulf region.