Iran Releases Crew of Seized Ship Linked to Israel, Retains Vessel
By The Media Line Staff
Iran has released the crew of a Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel, though it continues to retain control over the vessel itself, according to Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. The MSC Aries, a container ship operated by MSC and leased from Gortal Shipping—an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, owned in part by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer—was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13. This action came shortly after Iran expressed intentions to retaliate following a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus.
Amirabdollahian detailed that the ship was detained after allegedly turning off its radar in Iran’s territorial waters, “jeopardizing the security of navigation.” He described the crew’s release as a “humanitarian act,” allowing the 25 crew members, including the captain, to return to their respective countries. The ship remains under judicial detention for what the Iranian authorities have cited as “violating maritime laws” and its links to Israel.
This incident is part of broader regional tensions, including recent attacks by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These attacks, which the Houthis claim are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s military actions in Gaza, underscore the escalating stakes for global shipping in the region.
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