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Responding to questions about the wider unrest in Iran, which has reportedly claimed thousands of lives, the MEA said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken with Iran’s Foreign Minister, who briefed him on recent developments
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India said it continues to closely monitor the situation and prioritise the safety of its nationals.
India has formally sought consular access to ten Indian nationals who are currently in custody in Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government is in touch with Iranian authorities and is taking steps to ensure the welfare of the detained Indians.
The development follows reports that 16 Indian crew members aboard the merchant vessel MT Valiant Roar were taken into custody by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The vessel was intercepted on December 8, 2025, while sailing in international waters near Dibba Port, close to the UAE coastline. Iranian authorities have accused the ship of smuggling around 6,000 metric tonnes of fuel.
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Family members of the detained crew have expressed deep concern over the situation. Relatives of Third Engineer Ketan Mehta have appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking urgent intervention to secure the release of the crew
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According to a family member of the ship’s captain, Vijay, the vessel was boarded by Iranian naval forces and diverted to the port of Bandar Abbas
The family member said the captain managed to send a brief message on the night of the interception, informing relatives that the ship had been stopped and asking them to contact the operating company. Subsequent attempts to reach the crew failed. Shipping operators and travel agents later confirmed that the crew had been detained, though no clear explanation was initially provided.
The matter was reported to India’s Directorate General of Shipping and then taken up with the MEA and the Iranian Consulate. Indian authorities have since raised the issue through diplomatic channels.
