Indian govt sources confirmed on Saturday that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had seized a Nhava Sheva-bound ship with 17 Indian nationals on board for its links with Israel. They said New Delhi was in touch with Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels, both in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and in New Delhi, to ensure the security, welfare and early release of the Indian nationals.
Commandos boarded the cargo ship, MSC Aries, by helicopter 80km off the coast of UAE. The development comes in the middle of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel over the killing of seven Iranian military commanders in an Israeli strike on Iran’s diplomatic premises in Damascus, Syria. Global powers are worried about the ripple effect of an Iranian strike on Israel in the Middle East region, and beyond.
The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli newspaper, cited the Wall Street Journal as reporting that US had repositioned two destroyers in the area.
List Iran’s Guard as terror outfit: Israel minister
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Guard as a terrorist organisation.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden cautioned Iran against an attack on Israel. “We are devoted to defence of Israel. We will support, defend, and help defend Israel. And Iran will not succeed,” Biden told reporters.
Sources in New Delhi said the Nhava Sheva-bound, Portugal-flagged container vessel has 25 crew, 17 of them from India (including one lady deck cadet). The vessel had loaded and sailed from Khalifa, UAE, on Friday and was bound for Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port). Iran’s state-run IRNA reported that a Revolutionary Guard helicopter had boarded and guided the MSC Aries into Iranian waters.
This week, US warned of an imminent and major Iranian retaliatory attack on Israeli soil. India had issued an advisory on Friday asking Indian nationals to not travel to Israel and Iran till further notice, putting also on hold the departure of thousands of construction workers to Israel under a bilateral agreement signed last year.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, “Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.” In a brief update, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency mentioned the seizing of the ship by “regional authorities” off the coast of Fujairah, UAE. It did not mention the involvement of Iranian forces.
Commandos boarded the cargo ship, MSC Aries, by helicopter 80km off the coast of UAE. The development comes in the middle of escalating tensions between Iran and Israel over the killing of seven Iranian military commanders in an Israeli strike on Iran’s diplomatic premises in Damascus, Syria. Global powers are worried about the ripple effect of an Iranian strike on Israel in the Middle East region, and beyond.
The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli newspaper, cited the Wall Street Journal as reporting that US had repositioned two destroyers in the area.
List Iran’s Guard as terror outfit: Israel minister
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Guard as a terrorist organisation.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden cautioned Iran against an attack on Israel. “We are devoted to defence of Israel. We will support, defend, and help defend Israel. And Iran will not succeed,” Biden told reporters.
Sources in New Delhi said the Nhava Sheva-bound, Portugal-flagged container vessel has 25 crew, 17 of them from India (including one lady deck cadet). The vessel had loaded and sailed from Khalifa, UAE, on Friday and was bound for Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port). Iran’s state-run IRNA reported that a Revolutionary Guard helicopter had boarded and guided the MSC Aries into Iranian waters.
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Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, “Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.” In a brief update, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency mentioned the seizing of the ship by “regional authorities” off the coast of Fujairah, UAE. It did not mention the involvement of Iranian forces.
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