New Delhi, India has asked Iran to release around 40 Indian sailors who were detained from four different merchant ships seized on different charges in the Persian Gulf in the last eight months. Sources gave this information on Wednesday.
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made the request during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Monday.
Sonowal was in Tehran where India signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar, which will help expand trade with Centra Asia.
Sources close to the development said that following a request from the Iranian side, a meeting was held between Sonowal and Abdullahiyan, where bilateral issues were discussed.During the meeting, Sonowal requested Abdullahiyan to release all Indian sailors in Iranian custody.
Sources said Abdullahian said Tehran is positive on the release of the Indian sailors but it is being delayed as legal procedures have to be followed.
Sources said the Indian sailors were serving on four ships - Steven Global Cherylin, Margol and MSC Aries - which were seized by Iran on various charges in the last eight months.
According to sources, Steven was seized by the Iranian Coast Guard on September 12, 2023 on charges of "smuggling" and the crew was also detained.
There were nine Indian crew members on board the ship and the number has reduced to six after three of them and two other nationals were taken away by Iranian authorities on April 24 and their whereabouts are still unknown.Sources said Iran has not yet granted diplomatic access to the ship's Indian sailors and the Indian Embassy in Tehran is in regular touch with Iranian authorities.
Another ship, Global Cheryline, was seized in Bandar Abba on December 11, 2023, with 20 Indian crew members and one Bangladeshi on board. The crew was granted consular access on March 12, 2024. The ship was seized on charges of "fuel smuggling". The issue was raised with the Iranian Embassy and authorities in Tehran.According to the latest updates, the order for the sailors' release has been signed by a local court, but the final release depends on the approval of the Tehran court.
Another ship, Margol, was seized on January 22, 2024. Currently, the captain of the ship, Sujit Singh, is an Indian. Consular access has not been granted yet. The ship was seized on charges of "fuel smuggling". The ship's 1 Indian crew had already been released and they reached Delhi on February 14, 2024.Iranian authorities had imposed a fine of Rs 20 crore on the Captain. Shipping company RPSL is in touch with Iranian authorities and they have assured the release of the captain by this month.
The merchant ship MSC Aries was seized by Iran on April 13, 2024 for alleged ties to Israel. There were 17 Indian teams in it. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart on April 14 for the release of the Indian crew members.
Following negotiations, Indian female deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph was released and reached Kochi on April 18, 2024.On 9 May, five more Indian sailors from MSC Aries were released by Iran.
India has requested the Iranian side for the early release of the remaining Indian crew members of the ship. Sources said the Indian Embassy is in touch with Iranian authorities and has requested for second consular access.
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made the request during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Monday.
Sonowal was in Tehran where India signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar, which will help expand trade with Centra Asia.
Sources close to the development said that following a request from the Iranian side, a meeting was held between Sonowal and Abdullahiyan, where bilateral issues were discussed.During the meeting, Sonowal requested Abdullahiyan to release all Indian sailors in Iranian custody.
Sources said Abdullahian said Tehran is positive on the release of the Indian sailors but it is being delayed as legal procedures have to be followed.
Sources said the Indian sailors were serving on four ships - Steven Global Cherylin, Margol and MSC Aries - which were seized by Iran on various charges in the last eight months.
According to sources, Steven was seized by the Iranian Coast Guard on September 12, 2023 on charges of "smuggling" and the crew was also detained.
There were nine Indian crew members on board the ship and the number has reduced to six after three of them and two other nationals were taken away by Iranian authorities on April 24 and their whereabouts are still unknown.Sources said Iran has not yet granted diplomatic access to the ship's Indian sailors and the Indian Embassy in Tehran is in regular touch with Iranian authorities.
Another ship, Global Cheryline, was seized in Bandar Abba on December 11, 2023, with 20 Indian crew members and one Bangladeshi on board. The crew was granted consular access on March 12, 2024. The ship was seized on charges of "fuel smuggling". The issue was raised with the Iranian Embassy and authorities in Tehran.According to the latest updates, the order for the sailors' release has been signed by a local court, but the final release depends on the approval of the Tehran court.
Another ship, Margol, was seized on January 22, 2024. Currently, the captain of the ship, Sujit Singh, is an Indian. Consular access has not been granted yet. The ship was seized on charges of "fuel smuggling". The ship's 1 Indian crew had already been released and they reached Delhi on February 14, 2024.Iranian authorities had imposed a fine of Rs 20 crore on the Captain. Shipping company RPSL is in touch with Iranian authorities and they have assured the release of the captain by this month.
The merchant ship MSC Aries was seized by Iran on April 13, 2024 for alleged ties to Israel. There were 17 Indian teams in it. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart on April 14 for the release of the Indian crew members.
Following negotiations, Indian female deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph was released and reached Kochi on April 18, 2024.On 9 May, five more Indian sailors from MSC Aries were released by Iran.
India has requested the Iranian side for the early release of the remaining Indian crew members of the ship. Sources said the Indian Embassy is in touch with Iranian authorities and has requested for second consular access.
