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The Guardian World1 min read
Crew of Iranian ship siezed by US forces evacuated to Pakistan, gov’t says
TL;DR
The crew of the Iranian ship 'MV Touska', seized by the US, has been evacuated to Pakistan for repatriation. The transfer was part of a confidence-building measure, with the ship set to return to its owners after repairs.
Key points
- Crew of Iranian ship evacuated to Pakistan
- Twenty-two crew members were held aboard 'MV Touska'
- Evacuation seen as a confidence-building measure by the US
- Ship will return to original owners after repairs
- Pakistan supports dialogue for regional peace
Mentioned in this story
United StatesPakistanIran
MV Touska
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 has been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation, Pakistan’s foreign ministry has said.
“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 ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The individuals were flown to Pakistan on Sunday night, and will be handed over to the Iranian authorities today, the statement read.
“The Iranian ship will also be backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its original owners after necessary repairs,” Islamabad said, adding that the returns are being coordinated in with the support of both the Iranian and US sides.
“Pakistan welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing ongoing mediation efforts for regional peace and security,” said the foreign ministry’s statement.
US outlet ABC had reported on Sunday that the US Central Command aided in the transfer.
“US forces completed the transfer of 22 crew members of M/V Touska to Pakistan for repatriation,” the report quoted CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins as saying.
“Six other passengers were already transferred to a regional country for repatriation last week,” he said.
According to the report, Iranian state media identified the six as family members of some of the crew.
“Custody of Touska is currently being transferred back to its original ownership after the ship was intercepted and seized when attempting to violate the US naval blockade against Iran last month,” Hawkins said.
The ship was boarded and seized by US forces on April 19. The small container ship, which was part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group that has been hit with US sanctions, was boarded off the coast of Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman.
This is a breaking news story, more to come…
Q&A
What happened to the crew of the Iranian ship seized by the US?
The crew members were evacuated to Pakistan for repatriation after being held aboard the seized ship.
How many crew members were evacuated from the Iranian ship?
Twenty-two crew members were evacuated to Pakistan following the seizure of the 'MV Touska' by US forces.
What will happen to the Iranian ship after the crew's evacuation?
The 'MV Touska' will be backloaded to Pakistani waters for repairs and then returned to its original owners.
