- 8 Iranian fishermen rescued by a British ship will be repatriated.
- 22 crew members of a ship banned by the United States are expected to be repatriated.
- Pakistan coordinates with Iran, US, UK for safe return: Ishaq Dar
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was facilitating the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals who are expected to transit through Karachi in the “next few days”.
“Pakistan is happy to facilitate the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals,” DPM Dar posted on X.
“This includes 8 Iranian fishermen rescued at sea by the British vessel MMA Valor after their boat ran aground, and 22 Iranian crew members from the vessel Lenore/Davina, recently banned by US authorities. Both groups are expected to transit Karachi in the coming days.”
Islamabad has already facilitated the repatriation of more than a dozen Iranian sailors who were aboard vessels seized on the high seas by the United States last month.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Pakistan was working in close coordination with Iranian, US and UK authorities to ensure safe transit and speedy return of nationals to their home countries.
He added that Pakistan remains committed to humanitarian cooperation and will continue to provide all possible assistance in such cases.
The DPM said the two groups are expected to transit through Karachi in the coming days before returning to Iran.
It is worth noting here that on May 15, DPM Dar announced that the government had successfully repatriated 11 Pakistanis and 20 Iranians via Singapore who were on board vessels seized by the United States.
US authorities seized several ships in May after their navy imposed a blockade of Iranian ports following the failure of negotiations to end the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the US and Singapore governments for their support and engagement “throughout the process”, undertaken at the request of Pakistan.
Dar had also appreciated the Thai government for facilitating transit via Bangkok at the request of Pakistan.
