US Transfers Iranian Sailors to Pakistan

Tensions between the United States and Iran remain elevated despite an indefinite ceasefire agreement between the two sides. In this context, Tehran has warned that any US military interference in the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz would be regarded as a violation of the ceasefire.

On Monday, Ibrahim Azizi, a senior Iranian politician and lawmaker, issued the warning. Azizi, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), currently serves as a member of Iran’s parliament and heads its National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

Earlier, speaking to BBC Tehran, Azizi stated that the Strait of Hormuz is considered a fundamental right of Iran. He added that decisions regarding maritime activity in the waterway fall under Iran’s authority, including the granting of passage permissions for vessels.

Transfer of MV Tuska crew

In a related development, the United States has transferred 22 crew members of the Iranian-flagged container vessel MV Tuska to Pakistan. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the sailors are expected to be repatriated to Iran from there.

A CENTCOM spokesperson, Captain Tim Hawkins, confirmed the transfer on Monday, stating: “Today, the transfer of 22 crew members of MV Tuska to Pakistan has been completed by US forces. They will be repatriated to Iran.”

The MV Tuska was seized by US forces on 20 April in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was reportedly detained on the grounds of violating maritime restrictions imposed on Iranian ports. Tehran has described the seizure as an act of “piracy”.

CENTCOM further reported that six individuals from the vessel were previously handed over last week to a regional country for return to Iran. These individuals are believed to be members of the crew’s families.

Wider maritime disruption

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel and Iran has severely disrupted maritime traffic in the region. Since the escalation began on 28 February, nearly 2,000 vessels have become stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, affecting more than 20,000 seafarers and crew members.

The IMO reports that the affected vessels include oil and gas tankers, bulk carriers, cargo ships, and cruise liners. It also states that at least 19 attacks have been recorded on stranded ships since the onset of hostilities, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and eight injuries among crew members.

The organisation has previously warned that stranded vessels in the Persian Gulf region are facing rapidly diminishing supplies of food, fuel, and potable water, raising serious humanitarian and operational concerns for those on board.

Key developments timeline

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains highly sensitive due to its strategic importance in global energy transport and ongoing geopolitical tensions involving multiple regional and international actors.