Fifteen crew members of the Iranian ship Tosca, who were transferred to Pakistan by the United States, have been handed over to Iran in what is being seen as a confidence-building measure.
According to an Iranian news agency, the crew members entered Iranian territory on Monday through the Ramdan border terminal in Sistan and Baluchestan, where they were received by the relevant authorities.
Reports indicate that the United States had handed over a total of 22 crew members of the seized vessel “Tosca” to Pakistan as part of confidence-building efforts with Iran, out of which 15 have now been officially repatriated.
US officials stated that six crew members had already been handed over last week to another country in the region for repatriation, while the remaining transfers are being carried out in phases.
It is worth noting that the Iranian ship Tosca had been taken into custody by US authorities over alleged violations of the blockade, after which diplomatic efforts were underway to secure the release and return of its crew.
