Iran to release crew of seized 'Israel'-linked MSC Aries
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The Iranian Foreign Minister, who discussed the release in a phone call with the Portuguese Foreign Minister, did not say exactly when the crew members will be released.
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Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrives for a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said today that the crew of the Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC Aries, recently detained by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps(IRGC), will be released.
During a phone conversation with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, Amir-Abdollahian said, "We seriously consider the release of the ship’s crew as a humanitarian issue, and we have announced to their ambassadors in Tehran their access to consular services, release, and extradition."
The Iranian FM did not say exactly when the crew members will be released.
IRGC seized 'Israel'-linked vessel near Strait of Hormuz
Footage obtained by The Associated Press (AP) showed the IRGC Navy seizing an "Israel"-linked vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on April 13.
The footage depicted the operation previously reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). However, it provided no details regarding the boarding incident in the Gulf of Oman near the Emirati port city of Fujairah.
One defense official who requested anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, shared the video with the AP. In the footage, IRGC Navy members are seen rappelling down onto a stack of containers on the vessel's deck.
A crew member aboard the ship could be heard instructing, "Don't come out," before urging colleagues to proceed to the ship's bridge as additional commandos descended onto the deck.
The vessel in question is the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship linked to London-based Zodiac Maritime, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group.
Iran's IRNA News Agency said MSC Aries is being transferred to Iran's territorial waters.
It is worth noting that the MSC Aries was tracked near Dubai on April 12, heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. The ship had deactivated its tracking data, a practice often observed among Israeli-affiliated vessels navigating through the region.
