US Transfers 22 Iranian Crew to Pakistan

The United States transferred 22 crew members from the Iranian-flagged container ship MV Touska to Pakistan on Sunday, facilitating their repatriation to Iran in a move described by Pakistani officials as a confidence-building measure amid ongoing regional tensions.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the crew arrived late Sunday and would be handed over to Iranian authorities. The ministry stated the process was coordinated with both the United States and Iran. Iranian media reported that 15 of the crew had already reached Iran, while six others, identified as family members of crew members, had been transferred earlier to another regional country.

The MV Touska, operated by the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, was seized by U.S. forces on April 19 near Iran's Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Central Command reported the vessel ignored repeated warnings over six hours and violated a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports. A U.S. Navy destroyer fired rounds into the engine room to disable it, after which Marines boarded via helicopter and took custody. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson, confirmed the crew transfer and noted...