ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): US forces have delivered an Iranian ship, which they seized last month together with its 22 crew members, to Pakistan, according to a United States Central Command spokesperson who spoke to ABC News on Monday about the ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz situation.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the US military attacked the Iranian vessel Touska after it failed to comply with Washington’s orders to leave its planned route through the Strait of Hormuz on April 19.
The US force, which has maintained its naval blockade against Iranian ports since last month, proceeded to board and capture the ship in the Gulf of Oman.
The situation between Washington and Tehran escalated because both countries had been engaged in their ongoing conflict since February, when US and Israeli forces initiated unexpected attacks against Iran.
ABC News quoted CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins as saying that Touska and 22 of its crew members had been transferred to Pakistan. “Today, US forces completed the transfer of 22 crew members of M/V Touska to Pakistan for repatriation,” Hawkins said.
“Six other passengers were already transferred to a regional country for repatriation last week.” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported last week that US authorities had released six crew members of Touska, who then returned to Iran.
Hawkins stated that US naval forces seized Touska last month because the ship attempted to breach the US naval blockade, which prohibits access to Iranian ports.
