Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday confirmed reports that 22 crewmembers of a seized Iranian container vessel, MV Touska, have been evacuated to Pakistan and will soon be sent back to their homeland.
“The individuals were safely flown in Pakistan last night and will be transferred to Iran today,” he wrote in a posting on X. “The Iranian ship is also being backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for its return to its original owners after necessary repairs,” he added.
According to Dar, the actions are being coordinated with the support of both Iranian and U.S. authorities. He said they constituted an “important confidence-building measure.”
The foreign minister concluded his statement by expressing Pakistan’s appreciation to Washington and Tehran, adding Islamabad remains committed to facilitating dialogue, diplomacy, and mediation for regional peace and security.
Dar’s statement followed U.S. media reports that the Iranian ship, seized by the U.S. for violating its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, had been transferred along with its crew to Pakistan for repatriation to Iran.
Quoting U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins, ABC News said six other passengers had been transferred to a “regional country” last week. According to Iranian state media, these six were family members of some of the crew.
“Custody of Touska is currently being transferred back to its original ownership after the ship was intercepted and seized when attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade against Iran last month,” Hawkins told ABC News.
Both Iran and the U.S. are maintaining naval blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes. The blockades have severely impacted shipping, driving up fuel prices and adversely impacting the global economy. Over the weekend, Iran said it had received the latest response from the U.S. on its proposal for further talks, adding this was currently under review.