Aug 3, 2019, 6:53 PM

18 Indian crew of Stena Impero in good health in Iran: Indian FM

18 Indian crew of Stena Impero in good health in Iran: Indian FM

TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) – In a tweet on Saturday, the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced that the 18 Indian crew of British oil tanker seized by IRGC, Stena Impero, are in good health with adequate supplies in Iran.

"We are focussed on the early release and repatriation of all 18 Indian crew members of Stena Impero," he wrote.

"Officers of our Embassy in Tehran have met them and they seem to be in good health with adequate supplies,' he confirmed.

"We remain in constant contact with Iranian authorities to resolve this," the Indian official added.

Relations between Iran and the UK soured after an Iran-operated oil tanker, Grace 1, was illegally detained by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar on July 4, on accusations that the tanker was carrying oil to Syria in possible violation of the European Union’s sanctions on the Arab country. Iran condemned the move as “piracy” and called for the immediate release of the tanker, stressing that the tanker was not headed to Syria.

A few days later, on July 19, Tehran later impounded a British-flagged ship, Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz for failing to stop after hitting an Iranian fishing boat, a violation of international maritime rules.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have announced that it would be “Impossible to advance a quid pro quo or barter exchange of detained UK and Iranian ships”, adding “UK has illegally detained the ship carrying Iranian oil while the British ship is detained for violating some key safety/security regulations in Hormuz Strait.”

HJ/ 

News ID 148406

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