Dar announces arrival of 22 Iranian crew members in Karachi

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday announced the safe arrival of 22 Iranian crew members of the Lenore/Davina ship in Karachi, which had recently been banned by US authorities, saying arrangements were being finalized for their earliest return to Iran.

“I am happy to announce that twenty-two Iranian crew members of the vessel Lenore/Davina, recently banned by US authorities, arrived safely in Karachi this afternoon,” Dar said in a post on X.

He said Pakistan was working closely with Iranian diplomatic missions to facilitate the speedy and safe repatriation of the crew members to their home countries.

“Arrangements are currently being finalized in close collaboration with the Iranian missions in Pakistan to facilitate their quickest and safe return to their country,” he said.

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan remained in close contact with the US and Iranian authorities throughout the process.

According to Dar, this latest group is the fourth group of Iranian crew members whose repatriation has been facilitated by Pakistan in the past two months. He said Pakistan had so far assisted in the repatriation of more than 70 Iranian nationals, including the latest batch of 22, through its territory.

Expressing gratitude to Iranian leaders, Dar said he appreciated the trust reposed in Pakistan for facilitating the repatriation process.

“I also commend the dedicated efforts of the team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Pakistani institutions for their professionalism and commitment to ensure the smooth and safe repatriation of our Iranian brothers to their country,” he said.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran. Iran responded with its own strikes against Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. The United States began intercepting Iranian ships during the conflict.

In early May, Pakistan facilitated the transfer of 22 Iranian crew members detained aboard the container ship MV Touska, which was seized by US forces in the Gulf of Oman. Pakistani officials called the move a “confidence-building measure” between Washington and Tehran.

Later the same month, Pakistan had announced the successful repatriation of 11 Pakistani nationals along with 20 Iranian citizens who were on board vessels seized by the United States in international waters. FM Dar had said that the 31 people were in good health and had reached Bangkok from Singapore before boarding a flight to Islamabad.

He thanked the governments of Singapore, Thailand and the United States for facilitating the repatriation process and also acknowledged the cooperation of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.