Iran has released nine out of 12 Indians who were onboard the Riah tanker that was detained in early July, accused of fuel smuggling, something the ship’s charterer has strenuously denied.
Indian diplomats are now working to free the remaining three on the Riah as well as the crew on the Stena Impero, impounded by Iran a week ago, in addition to the seafarers on the Grace 1, an Iranian VLCC British armed forces took control of in waters off Gibraltar earlier this month.
Indian Embassy in Tehran was granted consular access to meet the 18 Indian crew of the detained British ship Stena Impero. Similar access is underway to other 5 crew from other nationalities. Indian embassy has reported to find the crew being very calm with no sense of panic.
— Hamid Baeidinejad (@baeidinejad) July 26, 2019
