ISLAMABAD: The crew members of an Iranian ship that was seized by the United States after it “failed to comply” with the US blockade on Iranian ports have been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement came hours after American outlet ABC News reported that an Iranian ship seized by the US after it “failed to comply” with the blockade imposed by the country on Iranian ports had been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation.
Iranian state media identified the six as family members of some of the crew.
“Today, US forces completed the transfer of 22 crew members of M/V Touska to Pakistan for repatriation,” a United States Central Command spokesperson said, according to ABC News on Monday. “Six other passengers were already transferred to a regional country for repatriation last week.”
FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on the social media platform X, “As a confidence-building measure by the United States of America, twenty-two crew members held aboard the seized Iranian container ship, ‘MV Touska’, have been evacuated to Pakistan.”
The individuals were flown to Pakistan on Sunday night and will be handed over to the Iranian authorities today, the statement said.
“The Iranian ship will also be backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its original owners after necessary repairs,” Andrabi stated, adding that these returns were being coordinated in tandem with the support of both sides.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage for global energy and trade, has witnessed heightened tensions since the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel earlier this year.
Reports indicate that several vessels attempting passage through the strait have come under fire, while Iran has also seized a number of ships in recent months.
In response, the United States has imposed its own restrictions on vessels departing Iranian ports.
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