Iran: Release of crew from ship linked to Israel

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that Iran has released the crew of a ship linked to Israel, which sails under the Portuguese flag, but the vessel itself remains detained.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards seized the cargo ship MSC Aris in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, with a crew of 25 on board, days after Tehran vowed to respond to a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus. Iran warned it might close the vital shipping route.

Amir-Abdollahian said, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs late Thursday on the platform 'X': "The detained ship, which turned off its radar in Iranian territorial waters and jeopardized navigation safety, is under judicial detention."

He noted that "releasing the crew is a humanitarian gesture, allowing them, including the ship's captain, to return to their respective countries."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry earlier said the seizure of the MSC Aris was due to "violations of maritime navigation laws" and that the ship's connection to Israel is not in doubt.

MSC leases the Aris ship from Gortal Shipping, a subsidiary of Zodiac Maritime, which is partially owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.

Reuters