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Pakistan to Hand Over 22 Iranian Crew in Diplomatic Gesture
(MENAFN) Pakistan confirmed Monday it will hand over 22 Iranian crew members seized aboard a vessel captured by US forces, framing the transfer as a gesture of goodwill as tensions simmer over the Strait of Hormuz.
Islamabad "welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing ongoing mediation efforts for regional peace and security," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in an official statement.
The crew members were aboard the M/V Touska, an Iranian vessel seized by US naval forces on April 19 in the Gulf of Oman after the ship allegedly failed to comply with a Washington-imposed blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Sunday that the 22 sailors had been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation.
The handover is not the first. Six additional passengers were repatriated to a separate regional country last week, according to CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins.
Islamabad also disclosed that the Iranian vessel itself will be moved into Pakistani territorial waters ahead of being returned to its owners following what the Foreign Ministry described as "necessary repairs."
"These returns are being coordinated with the support of both the Iranian and US sides," the ministry added — a notable signal that Pakistan is actively brokering between two adversaries as it pursues a wider mediation role in the region's escalating maritime standoff.
Islamabad "welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing ongoing mediation efforts for regional peace and security," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in an official statement.
The crew members were aboard the M/V Touska, an Iranian vessel seized by US naval forces on April 19 in the Gulf of Oman after the ship allegedly failed to comply with a Washington-imposed blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Sunday that the 22 sailors had been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation.
The handover is not the first. Six additional passengers were repatriated to a separate regional country last week, according to CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins.
Islamabad also disclosed that the Iranian vessel itself will be moved into Pakistani territorial waters ahead of being returned to its owners following what the Foreign Ministry described as "necessary repairs."
"These returns are being coordinated with the support of both the Iranian and US sides," the ministry added — a notable signal that Pakistan is actively brokering between two adversaries as it pursues a wider mediation role in the region's escalating maritime standoff.
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