(MENAFN) According to reports from local media, Iran's foreign ministry has announced that the crew of a Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel, which was recently detained by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), will be released. The vessel, MSC Aries, was boarded by the IRGC on April 13 in the Persian Gulf as it transited the Strait of Hormuz. The ship, MSC Aries is owned by Gortal Shipping Inc, which is affiliated with Zodiac Maritime Shipping Company, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was reportedly sailing past the Emirati port of Fujairah with its transponder switched off at the time of the seizure.
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, conveyed to his Portuguese counterpart that Iran views the release of the crew as a humanitarian issue and has granted consular access to them. While the specific timing of the crew's release was not specified, the announcement marks a significant development in the situation.
Iran's foreign ministry has stated that the MSC Aries was seized for violating maritime laws and asserted that there is no doubt about its connection to Israel. Given Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing security concerns in the region, it has become common practice for vessels linked to Israel to disable their tracking data when navigating in the area.
The incident underscores the complexities of maritime security in the Persian Gulf and raises questions about the broader geopolitical tensions in the region. As diplomatic efforts continue to address the situation, the release of the crew will likely alleviate some of the immediate concerns surrounding the detention of the vessel.
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