Iran Releases Impounded Oil Tanker’s Indian Crewmen

By Staff, Agencies

After impounding two oil tankers for violating international regulations in the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Republic released a number of the crewmen and granted consular access to other remaining crew members.

India's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday the release of the Panama-flagged MT Riah oil tanker's 12 Indian crewmen. The vessel was apprehended by Iranian authorities on July 14.

The vessel was detained for smuggling contraband fuel out of the country, a claim that was later confirmed by Panama's maritime authority.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also announced that it had granted crewmen of the impounded British-flagged Stena Impero access to their respective consular representatives.

The Stena Impero was impounded by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps [IRGC] last week for numerous violations of international maritime regulations when it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The British-flagged vessel has 23 crew members, 18 of which were from India. The other crew members are from Russia, Latvia and the Philippines.