Iran Allows Indian Officials to Meet Captured Crew Members of MSC Aries

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, has said that Tehran would let Indian officials to speak with the seventeen Indian crew members of a cargo vessel that the Iranian military captured on Saturday close to the Strait of Hormuz.

According to an Iranian readout, Amir-Abdollahian told External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar this over the phone on Sunday.

Jaishankar advocated during the negotiations for the Indians on board the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship MSC Aries to be freed.

According to Amir-Abdollahian, "We are following up on the details of the seized ship and soon it will be possible for the representatives of the Indian government to meet with the crew of the said ship," the Iranian statement said.

It said that Jaishankar asked Iran for help in this matter after expressing worry about the circumstances surrounding the 17 Indian crew members.

Due to 'MSC Aries' purported ties to Israel, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran's Special Naval Forces took it over.

The Mediterranean Shipping Company, or MSC, said on Saturday that it is coordinating closely with the appropriate authorities to ensure the safety of the twenty-five crew members and the vessel's return.

White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson revealed that the ship's crew was made up of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian, and Estonian nationalities, hours after the Iranian attack.

India is in contact with Iran to negotiate the release of 17 Indians, according to official sources in India.