U.S. Evacuates Iranian Ship Crew to Pakistan
The U.S. evacuated 22 Iranian crew members from a seized ship to Pakistan, a move Pakistan called a "confidence-building measure."
Lauren Collins ·
U.S. Evacuates Iranian Ship Crew to Pakistan The United States has evacuated 22 crew members from an Iranian container vessel, the M/V Touska, to Pakistan, with their handover to Iranian authorities scheduled for Monday. This action, described by Pakistan's foreign ministry as a "confidence-building measure," follows the U.S. seizure of the Iranian-flagged ship last month off the coast of Iran's Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman.
The M/V Touska, part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which is subject to U.S. sanctions, was boarded and seized after its crew reportedly failed to comply with warnings over a six-hour period. The U.S. Central Command stated the vessel was in violation of a U.S. blockade. Iran had condemned the seizure as "unlawful and a violation" of international law, demanding the immediate release of the vessel and its crew.
In addition to the crew's repatriation, the ship itself will be moved to Pakistani territorial waters for necessary repairs before being returned to its owners. This development occurs amidst ongoing naval confrontations and commercial vessel seizures between Washington and Tehran, despite a fragile ceasefire declared four weeks prior in a broader U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that began in February. Peace talks held last month in Pakistan, aimed at negotiating an agreement, did not yield a deal.