Eight of 16 Indian sailors released by Iran after tanker detention, officials confirm

2026-02-05 - 11:35

Eight of the 16 Indian sailors detained by Iran in December aboard the UAE-based tanker MT Valiant Roar have been released and will soon return home, an Indian official confirmed on Thursday. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal stated that consular officials in Bandar Abbas met with the crew and that the release of the eight sailors is being processed. Background of the Detention The vessel was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on December 8 in international waters off the UAE port of Dibba. Iranian authorities alleged the tanker was smuggling approximately 6,000 tonnes of fuel. India’s diplomatic mission in Iran was informed of the detention around mid-December and has since been engaged in securing consular access and the crew’s release. Ongoing Efforts for Remaining Crew Jaiswal added that Indian authorities remain in contact with Tehran regarding the eight sailors still detained. “We will see how best to support them for whatever need they may have,” he said during a news conference in New Delhi. The release marks a partial breakthrough in a case that had drawn diplomatic attention amid ongoing regional tensions in the Persian Gulf.