July 27, 2019
Iran has released nine out of the 12 Indian sailors who were on board the
ship MT Riah that was detained last month. early July, official
sources said Thursday.
But there are still 21 Indians in detention in Iran. Three are from the ships
MT Riah and 18 from a British oil tanker Stena Impero which was
seized last week by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard for
alleged violation of international shipping rules.
The Indian Embassy has got access to the 18 Indians who were
on board Impero. Apart from this, 24 Indian crew members, who were on board a
shipping vessel Grace 1, detained by Gibraltar police
authorities, are also under detention.
The boats have been seized amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the United
States. They started after the Trump administration began reimposing
sanctions on Iran.
Indian officials have met the 24 Indian crew members who were on board
shipping vessel Grace 1 and assured them that the government will take
necessary steps to ensure their release and return home.
A team of the Indian High Commission in London met the
Indian crew and staff on board Grace 1. on Wednesday, Minister of State for
External Affairs V Muraleedharan said.
Crew’s morale is high. Assured all assistance for early release. HCI London
will facilitate necessary travel document and related arrangements. –
V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said
that a three-member team visited and met all the 24 crew members.
“What we saw was that the crew members were very calm, very composed, and
there was no sense of panic. They had been in regular touch with their family
members. We had assured them that the government of India will undertake all
the necessary steps to ensure their early release and repatriation,” said
Kumar.
The Indian government has said it will keep pushing for their early release.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/iran-releases-9-indian-sailors
