ISLAMABAD, May 4: The United States has evacuated 22 crew members, held aboard an Iranian ship seized by its forces, to Pakistan as a “confidence-building measure”, a statement issued by Foreign Office here said on Monday.
The ship ‘MV Touska’, part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group that has been hit with US sanctions, was boarded and seized by US forces on April 19 off the coast of Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman, Dawn reported.
“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 Pakistan’s FO said.
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It added that the Iranian ship will also be backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its original owners after necessary repairs.
“These returns are being coordinated in tandem with the support of both the Iranian and US sides,” it said.
FO further stated that Pakistan welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing ongoing mediation efforts for regional peace and security.
Speaking on the issue, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that 22 crew members from the seized Iranian vessel have been “safely” evacuated to Pakistan.
“The individuals were safely flown to Pakistan last night and will be transferred to Iran today,” Dar,who is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, posted on social media.
“These actions are being coordinated with the support of both the Iranian and the US authorities and surely constitute an important confidence-building measure,” he said.
Dar said Pakistan expresses its appreciation to the United States and Iran, and remains committed to facilitating dialogue, diplomacy, and mediation for regional peace and security.
The Iran war – triggered by joint strikes by the US and Israel on February 28 – has been on hold since April 8, with one round of peace talks having taken place in Islamabad since then.
The Strait of Hormuz – through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas pass – remains a major sticking point in the talks.
Shippings through the narrow Gulf waterway have been severely disrupted by the conflict, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and energy shortages in several countries. (PTI)
