After Jaishankar's Call, Iran Says Indian Officials To Be Allowed To Meet Indian Crew Members Of Seized Ship

Iran has said Indian representatives will soon be allowed to meet the Indian crew members of MSC ARIES. The assurance came during External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar’s talk with Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian when India raised the issue of 17 Indians on MSC ARIES detained by Iran.

EAM Jaishankar on Sunday spoke to his Israeli and Iranian counterparts amid high tensions between the two countries. Jaishankar said that he had also spoken to his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, regarding the release of 17 Indian crew members on an Israeli-affiliated container ship seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

“Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch,” Jaishankar wrote in an X post.

Following the talks, Iranian FM Amir Abdollahian mentioned that they are following up on the details related to the detained ship and soon the possibility of representatives of the Indian government meeting with the crew of the mentioned ship will be provided.

Iran also called for India’s continued role through international institutions, including the UN Security Council, to stop the war in Gaza, which is the root of current crises in the region, as well as to end the aggressions and crimes of the Zionist regime.

On Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards seized the MSC Aries when it was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Israeli-affiliated container ship had 17 Indian crew members and was en route to the port of Nhava Sheva in Mumbai and the expected arrival was on the night of April 15.

Commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard raided the ship near the Strait of Hormuz by helicopter as tensions between Iran and Israel grew following the latter’s alleged strike on the former’s consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month.