ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said he had spoken with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and requested Singapore’s support in facilitating the welfare and repatriation of 11 Pakistanis and 20 Iranians aboard vessels seized by the United States.
In a post on social media platform X, Dar said the vessels were currently near Singaporean waters. He added that he had also spoken with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as Pakistan remained in close coordination with Iran on the issue.
Dar said Pakistan was also ready to facilitate the safe repatriation of Iranian nationals to Iran through Pakistani territory. He appreciated the cooperation and support being extended by Singapore and said Pakistan, through the Foreign Office and other relevant authorities, was closely coordinating with US officials and other stakeholders to ensure the safety, welfare and earliest possible return of the affected nationals.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office said on Thursday that during the phone call, Singapore’s foreign minister appreciated Dar’s efforts and Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region by facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran.
According to the FO, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued commitment to peace and development in the region and beyond. The two sides also discussed maritime affairs and recent incidents in international waters and agreed that the relevant authorities of both countries would remain in close coordination.
The FO further said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and highlighted the importance of high-level exchanges. They also agreed to remain in contact.
The latest development comes days after Pakistan facilitated the return of crew members from a US-seized Iranian vessel, with at least 15 sailors reaching Iran on Monday.
The Foreign Office described the transfer of the crew members as part of confidence-building measures.
The vessel in question was boarded and seized by US forces on April 19. The small container ship belonged to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which has been under US sanctions, and was intercepted off Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman.
At the time, the US Central Command said the ship’s crew had failed to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period. It stated that American forces had issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel that it was violating the US blockade.
During Thursday’s phone call with Dar, Araghchi thanked Pakistan for facilitating the repatriation of Iranian nationals from the seized vessels and appreciated Islamabad’s continued diplomatic and humanitarian support on the matter.
The Strait of Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s key shipping routes located off the coast of Iran, has remained virtually blocked by Tehran since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Several vessels attempting to pass through the Strait have reportedly come under fire, while Iran has also seized multiple ships. Last month, the United States imposed its own blockade on vessels departing from Iranian ports.