Iran will soon allow Indian officials to meet 17 Indians in seized ship, it says

Iran-Israel conflict: Iran has said that it would soon allow Indian officials to meet the 17 Indian nationals aboard the MSC Aries that it had seized near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had told External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during their phone call after Iran attacked Israel on Sunday.

Jaishankar had expressed concerns about the 17 Indians onboard the seized vessel and urged Tehran’s assistance on the same. The Iranian Foreign Minister, in response, said that the Iranian government was following up on the details related to the seized cargo ship, and that the possibility of representatives of the Indian government meeting with the crew would be provided soon.

Meanwhile, the MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) said it is working closely with relevant authorities for the well-being of the 25 crew members – that includes Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals – and return of the vessel.

Iran’s state news agency, IRNA said on Saturday that its Revolutionary Guards seized the MSC Aries vessel it said was “linked to Israel” and it was being transferred to Iran’s territorial waters. A Guards navy special forces helicopter boarded the Portuguese flagged vessel and seized it, IRNA added.

Jaishankar, on Sunday, spoke to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts and urged them to de-escalate the situation as well as to engage in dialogues and diplomacy. He called on both the parties to exercise restraint.

Meanwhile, an Israel minister said that the country would take the necessary action when the time is right, while the US has stressed on the fact that it would not take part in Israel’s retaliation.

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