NEW DELHI: Ten Indian sailors, detained in Iran in July 2025 on board an oil tanker, have been released after “sustained diplomatic engagement”, Directorate General of Shipping said in a statement on Tuesday.Sailors on MV Harbour Phoenix were “detained, arrested and imprisoned in Iran following the vessel’s interception near Jask Port in July 2025”, it said.“Through sustained diplomatic engagement and coordinated efforts between the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of External Affairs, Embassy of India in Tehran, RPSL company, vessel managers, and other stakeholders, the seafarers have now been released and reunited safely,” the statement said, adding, “Necessary arrangements are being coordinated for the earliest return of the crew members to India.”The shipping directorate did not give further details on the reason for their arrest or about the vessel, which ship tracking sites list as a Palau-flagged oil products tanker.The 32-year-old oil tanker is registered to UAE-based company Harbour Phoenix Shipping. The tanker operates under the flag of Palau and has primarily navigated maritime corridors within the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The vessel was intercepted in July 2025 by Iranian forces near Jask Port over alleged diesel smuggling charges.Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments — since the US and Israel launched attacks on Feb 28. Several peace efforts are currently under way to remove the Iranian restrictions and open the Strait for merchant vessels.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Bakrid wishes, messages and eid 2026!End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosExplained: What Is The CMRL-Exalogic Case Linked To ED Raids On Ex-Kerala CM Pinarayi VijayanTMC MLAs Stage Sit-In Over Delay In LoP Status, Office Space AllocationGiant Messi Statue Strapped With Ropes As Kolkata Prepares Removal After It Was ‘Swaying In Wind’India’s Private Sector Is Building a Stealth Fighter. Here’s What That Really Means.Amit Shah Orders Crackdown On Illegal Structures Near Indo-Pak Border, Seeks Demolition Within 15 KMMassive Drug Haul In Gujarat As ATS Recovers 100 Kg Cocaine From European Ship Near KutchLavish Celebration Clip Reignites Debate On Money Power In Pune Crash CaseAssam Assembly Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill, CM Himanta Hails It As ‘Historic’Tamil Nadu AIADMK Unity Restored As Rebel MLAs Patch Up With Edappadi Palaniswami CampBig Blow To Mamata: TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Resigns From All Party Posts123Photostories6 high-protein sandwiches for a quick summer breakfastExclusive – Khatron Ke Khiladi 15: From talking about her show preparations to reuniting with Gaurav Khanna; Farrhana Bhatt gets candidOne monochrome saree, unlimited main-character energy, and this time Madhuri Dixit means pure businessAmerica by rail: 5 iconic train journeys in the U.S. every traveller must experience once in a lifetimeVaibhav Sooryavanshi Home: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s modest home in Samastipur, Bihar tells the story of hard work, determination and family sacrificesHow to delete stress from your life7 painful truths about love and relationships people often don’t talk aboutBhindi to Lauki: Why we remove the crown of these 7 everyday vegetablesPregnancy nutrition: Superfoods every mother-to-be should add to her plate8 places in the world that look AI-generated but exist in real life and and how to visit them123Hot PicksSRH vs RRNHL Trade RumorsVaibhav SooryavanshiNFL Trade RumorEmma Raducanu net worthShreyas IyerPSSSB Excise Inspector Admit CardTop TrendingByju’s founder RaveendranBank holiday todayIndian Air ForceDelhi temperatureRed BalloonBengaluru Ebola CasePune curfewRahul GandhiHDFC ShareIndian Rupee
NEW DELHI: Ten Indian sailors, detained in Iran in July 2025 on board an oil tanker, have been released after “sustained diplomatic engagement”, Directorate General of Shipping said in a statement on Tuesday.Sailors on MV Harbour Phoenix were “detained, arrested and imprisoned in Iran following the vessel’s interception near Jask Port in July 2025”, it said.“Through sustained diplomatic engagement and coordinated efforts between the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of External Affairs, Embassy of India in Tehran, RPSL company, vessel managers, and other stakeholders, the seafarers have now been released and reunited safely,” the statement said, adding, “Necessary arrangements are being coordinated for the earliest return of the crew members to India.”The shipping directorate did not give further details on the reason for their arrest or about the vessel, which ship tracking sites list as a Palau-flagged oil products tanker.The 32-year-old oil tanker is registered to UAE-based company Harbour Phoenix Shipping. The tanker operates under the flag of Palau and has primarily navigated maritime corridors within the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The vessel was intercepted in July 2025 by Iranian forces near Jask Port over alleged diesel smuggling charges.Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments — since the US and Israel launched attacks on Feb 28. Several peace efforts are currently under way to remove the Iranian restrictions and open the Strait for merchant vessels.
