22 Iranian Sailors Detained by US Evacuated to Pakistan

According to a statement by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on June 19, 22 crew members of the Iranian cargo ship MV Touska, detained by US forces in April for violating the US naval blockade on Iran, were evacuated to Pakistan for repatriation.

The statement said: "As a confidence-building measure by the United States, 22 detained crew members of the Iranian container ship MV Touska have been evacuated to Pakistan." They were airlifted to Pakistan on the evening of June 18 and are to be handed over to Iranian authorities the following day.

Pakistan also noted: "The Iranian vessel will be returned to Pakistani waters for handover to its original owner after necessary repairs." The repatriation efforts were coordinated with support from both Iran and the United States.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry emphasized: "Pakistan welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing reconciliation efforts for regional peace and security."

ABC News quoted US Central Command spokesman Colonel Tim Hawkins as confirming: "US forces have completed the transfer of 22 crew members of the MV Touska to Pakistan for repatriation." He added that six other passengers, identified by Iranian media as family members of some crew, were transferred to a regional country for repatriation last week.

According to CENTCOM, ownership of the Touska is being transferred back to its original owner. The vessel was intercepted and seized by US forces on April 19 off the coast of Iran's Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. The small container ship belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group, which is under US sanctions.