Indian officials may soon meet with crew members from India who are aboard a ship captured by Iranian troops.
The ship, called the MSC Aries, has 25 crew members, with 17 of them being Indian. It was seized by Iranian special forces on Saturday near the United Arab Emirates coast, just before Iran attacked Tel Aviv with drones and missiles.
India has expressed concerns and called for calm between Iran and Israel, urging both countries to resolve their differences peacefully. India’s Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, spoke with officials from both Iran and Israel regarding the situation.
During a call with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Jaishankar raised concerns about the Indian crew members on the ship and requested assistance. Iran responded by saying that Indian government representatives would soon be able to meet with the crew, although no specific timeline was given.
The ship is associated with Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer and is managed by MSC, a shipping company. It was intercepted by Iranian troops while sailing off the UAE coast. The crew includes people from Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, and Estonia.
Both the US and UK have criticized Iran’s actions and called for the immediate release of the ship. Additionally, India has advised its citizens against traveling to Iran or Israel until further notice.
