The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday confirmed that 22 Iranian crew members from a container ship seized by the United States last month have been brought to Pakistan and will be repatriated to Iran today as part of a “confidence-building measure.”
FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, in a post on X, stated that the crew members from the vessel MV Touska were transferred to Pakistan following coordination with US authorities.
The development follows confirmation from a US Central Command (Centcom) spokesperson, who told ABC News that the crew had been moved after the ship was intercepted while attempting to breach a US naval blockade.
Earlier, six individuals—identified by Iranian state media as family members of the crew—had already been relocated to another country in the region.
The MV Touska, operated by the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was seized by US forces near Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. According to Centcom, the vessel failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period and was found in violation of the blockade.
Iran condemned the seizure as unlawful and a breach of international law, calling for the immediate release of the vessel, its crew, and their families.
According to the FO, the crew arrived in Pakistan overnight and will be handed over to Iranian authorities today. Andrabi also noted that the vessel will be returned to its owners after necessary repairs, with the process being coordinated in collaboration with both US and Iranian officials.
He added that Pakistan will continue to support dialogue and diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting regional peace and stability.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high despite a fragile ceasefire declared four weeks ago following the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Naval confrontations and vessel seizures have continued in the aftermath.
Pakistan has recently taken on a mediatory role between the two countries, hosting high-level talks in Islamabad last month. However, a second round of negotiations has yet to be scheduled.