Iran has released seven crew members of a Portuguese-flagged container ship that was detained by Iranian forces on April 13 in the Gulf, accusing it of links to Israel, Lisbon announced on Thursday, explaining that 17 others remain on board the ship. A statement by the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, “The Portuguese government announces that seven crew members of the ship detained by Iran have been released today (Thursday).
Five Indians, a Filipina and an Estonian
The Portuguese government added that these are five Indian citizens, a Filipino and an Estonian, and they are the only Europeans among the crew, which includes 25 individuals in total, noting that an Indian citizen has already left the cargo ship, as Tehran announced on April 18.
Iran informed on April 27 that it was considering releasing other members of the crew of the MSC Aries container ship, carried by the Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, which accused its owner of being “linked to Israel,” Tehran said. Archenemy.
This incident came hours before an unprecedented attack by Iran with drones and missiles against Israel, in response to an air strike blamed on Israel that killed seven Revolutionary Guard officers in Damascus. Iran accused the ship of violating “international maritime regulations” and claimed that it “belongs to the Zionist regime.”
On April 16, the Portuguese Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in Lisbon to demand the “immediate release” of the ship and its crew.
video. Iran seizes container ship 'linked' to Israel near Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said ten days ago during a telephone conversation with his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel, according to a press release issued by Tehran, that “the release of the ship’s crew is of great concern to us as a humanitarian issue.” .
On Thursday, Lisbon welcomed the release of part of the crew, while again demanding the “immediate release” of the 17 members still on board the MSC Aries, and of the ship itself.
