On Monday, the Foreign Office confirmed that 22 Iranian crew members from the container ship MV Touska, seized by the United States last month, have been transferred to Pakistan. They are scheduled to be handed over to Iran today as part of a confidence-building initiative.
The United States facilitated the evacuation of these crew members, who were aboard the vessel intercepted while attempting to breach a US naval blockade. A spokesperson from the US Central Command had earlier informed that the 22 crew were moved to Pakistan to enable their repatriation. Meanwhile, six other individuals, identified by Iranian state media as family members of the crew, had already been relocated to a different country in the region.
The MV Touska, operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was seized off Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. The US authorities stated that the crew ignored repeated warnings over six hours and that the vessel violated a US blockade. Iran condemned the seizure as unlawful and demanded the immediate release of the ship, its sailors, and their families.
The Foreign Office spokesperson added that the crew members arrived in Pakistan last night and would be handed over to Iranian representatives today. The ship itself will be returned to Pakistani territorial waters for necessary repairs before being sent back to its original owners. This process is being coordinated with the support of both Iranian and US authorities.
Pakistan has emphasized its role as a mediator, continuing to facilitate dialogue and diplomatic efforts aimed at regional peace and security. This mediation comes amid heightened tensions following the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which was suspended four weeks ago under a fragile ceasefire. Despite this, naval confrontations and seizures of commercial vessels between Washington and Tehran have persisted.
Pakistan has emerged as a significant intermediary in US-Iran relations, hosting the highest-level talks between the two nations last month in Islamabad. However, a planned second round of negotiations has yet to occur due to complications in the dialogue process.
