New Delhi: Ten Indian sailors detained in Iran aboard the oil tanker MV Harbour Phoenix have been released following “sustained diplomatic engagement,” as confirmed by the Directorate General of Shipping in a statement on Tuesday.
The sailors had been imprisoned after the vessel was intercepted near Jask Port in July 2025. “Through sustained diplomatic engagement and coordinated efforts between the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Tehran, RPSL company, vessel managers, and other stakeholders, the seafarers have now been released and reunited safely,” the statement noted, adding that arrangements are in place for their prompt return to India.
Details regarding the reasons for their arrest have not been disclosed, nor has there been further information provided about the vessel, which is registered as a Palau-flagged oil products tanker on ship tracking sites. The 32-year-old tanker is owned by UAE-based Harbour Phoenix Shipping and primarily operates in maritime corridors within the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It was intercepted by Iranian forces under allegations of diesel smuggling.
Since the U.S. and Israel initiated attacks on February 28, Iran has imposed restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage that typically handles around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Ongoing diplomatic efforts are aimed at lifting these Iranian restrictions to restore navigation for merchant vessels.
