Iran agrees Indian officials can meet with 17 detained Indian crew members ‘soon’

TEHRAN : Iran said that it will allow Indian officials to meet with the 17 Indian crew members detained after its forces seized an Israel-linked ship MSC Aries “soon” after the issue was raised by External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar, who spoke to Foreign Ministers of both Iran and Israel on Sunday night.

In a readout of the conversation between Shri S. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian released on Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that they had discussed Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel in what it called a response to Israel’s attack on the Iranian embassy on April 1 in which 7 Iranian diplomats and commanders died, as well as the situation in Gaza, and Red Sea.

“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 minister said in the readout. 

Jaishankar had earlier expressed concern about the situation of the 17 Indian crew members, and requested assistance from the Iranian authorities. He called for the release of Indians onboard Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MSC Aries.