India’s Foreign Ministry reported on Friday that Iran had released nine of twelve Indian crew members from a Panama-flagged oil tanker MT Riah detained on 14 July.

Twenty-one Indian nationals still detained by Iran, three aboard the MT Riah and 18 on the UK-flagged Stena Impero that was also captured by Tehran last week.

Indian Embassy on Thursday got consular access to the 18 Indians who were on board Impero, Indian media reported.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reported seizing a foreign oil tanker with illegal cargo in the Persian Gulf on 14 July.

Stena Impero was seized last week by the IRGC in the Strait of Hormuz over violation of international maritime rules.

Earlier on July 4, Iranian vessel was seized by Gibraltar at the request of the US over allegations of being involved in oil shipments to Syria in violation of EU sanctions.

Source: Agencies