ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Monday that 22 crew members aboard the Iranian vessel MV Touska, which had been seized by the United States, were brought to Pakistan as a “confidence-building measure.”
The statement followed a report by ABC News, which said the ship had been intercepted after allegedly failing to comply with a US-imposed blockade on Iranian ports, and that the crew had been transferred for repatriation.
According to US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins, “US forces completed the transfer of 22 crew members of M/V Touska to Pakistan for repatriation.“ He added that six other individuals had already been moved to another regional country earlier, reportedly family members of the crew.
Hawkins also said custody of the vessel is being returned to its original owners after it was seized for attempting to breach the US naval blockade.
FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated on X, “As a confidence-building measure by the United States of America, twenty-two crew members held aboard the seized Iranian container ship, ‘MV Touska’, have been evacuated to Pakistan.”
“The individuals, who were flown to Pakistan last night, will be handed over to the Iranian authorities today,” he said, adding that the vessel will also be brought into Pakistani waters for repairs before being returned.
He noted that the process is being coordinated with support from all parties, and added, “Pakistan welcomes such confidence-building measures and will continue to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy while pursuing ongoing mediation efforts for regional peace and security.”
The vessel, linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, was intercepted by US forces on April 19 near the coast of Chabahar Port in the Gulf of Oman. US officials said the ship failed to respond to repeated warnings over six hours and was in violation of the blockade.
Iran condemned the seizure as illegal and demanded the immediate release of the ship and its crew, with its military accusing the US of “armed piracy.”
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated since fighting between the US, Israel, and Iran began in late February, disrupting one of the world’s most critical shipping routes. Iran has restricted movement through the strait, with several vessels reportedly targeted or seized.
US President Donald Trump announced a plan dubbed “Operation Freedom” to assist ships stranded in the Gulf, saying, “We have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.”
The International Maritime Organization estimates that hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers remain stuck due to the conflict. The US operation is expected to involve thousands of troops, aircraft, and naval assets to restore safe passage.
Meanwhile, Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi warned that any US interference in the strait would be viewed as a violation of the current ceasefire.
