Iran has released all crew members of the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries, which was seized near the Strait of Hormuz on 13 April. The ship had 25 crew members onboard, including 17 Indian nationals.
The release was confirmed by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during a telephone conversation with his Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsahkna. The two officials discussed the latest state of bilateral ties and regional developments.
Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, is one of the 17 crew members of the ship, who safely returned to India on 18 April. Iranian Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, has also said that the Indian nationals, crew members of MSC Aries, are not detained and that they are free to go.
The seizure of the ship, which is linked to Israel, occurred amid escalating tensions between Iran and the West due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The ship was last seen sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai on 12 April.
In response to Estonia’s request for the release of the crew, Amirabdollahian stated that the ship was detained under judicial rules for turning off its radar in Iran’s territorial waters, thereby endangering navigation safety. He emphasized the necessity of all ships complying with maritime rules and regulations to maintain safety.
Despite the ship’s seizure, Iran stated that it has released all crew members on humanitarian grounds and that they, including the Estonians, can return to their country if accompanied by the ship’s captain.
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