Iran has released seven crew members from a Portuguese-flagged ship that it seized in the Gulf on April 13, as confirmed by Portugal’s foreign ministry. The crew members released include five Bharatiyas, one Filipino, and one Estonian from the MSC Aries.
This action follows the ship’s seizure by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard last month near the Strait of Hormuz, with claims of Israeli links.
Portugal has welcomed the release of the crew members but has urged for the immediate release of the remaining 17 crew still held by Iran. The Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, which had Israeli connections according to Iran, was seized amid heightened tensions with Israel in the aftermath of the Gaza war.
Among the crew members previously released was Ann Tessa Joseph, the only female cadet among the 17 Bharatiya crew members. She was freed on April 18 after extensive efforts by the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government.
Now, with the recent release of five more crew members, eleven Bharatiyas remain in custody in Iran. However, the exact number of crew members remaining in Iran is yet to be officially confirmed by the Bharatiya government.
Last week, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced that Iran had released the crew members but retained control of the vessel itself. He characterized the release as a humanitarian gesture, stating that the crew members were free to return to their respective nations along with the ship’s captain.
Iran’s foreign ministry had initially cited violations of maritime laws as the reason for seizing the Aries and asserted its connection to Israel.
The MSC Aries is reportedly leased by MSC from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. The seizure of the vessel and the release of its crew members come amidst escalating attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis.
These attacks, purportedly in solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s conflict with Gaza, have disrupted global shipping networks and raised concerns about maritime security in the region.
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