By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Friday it had secured the safe repatriation of 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranians who had been aboard vessels seized by the United States on the high seas near Singaporean waters, the latest development in a months-long naval confrontation that has disrupted global shipping and drawn in third countries as reluctant participants.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the operation was a successful multilateral effort, with the group of 31 seafarers arriving in Bangkok from Singapore before boarding a flight bound for Islamabad later Friday night. In a statement posted on X, Dar said all the individuals were “in good health and high spirits,” and he emphasized that the welfare of Pakistanis abroad — “particularly those in distress” — remained the government’s highest priority.
The announcement came after Pakistani officials reached out last week to Singaporean authorities for assistance in facilitating the crew members’ welfare and return. The vessels were operating near Singaporean waters when they were seized.
Dar expressed gratitude to a roster of senior officials who helped coordinate the repatriation: Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Bala, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. He added that Araghchi had specifically entrusted Pakistan with helping arrange the Iranians’ return home once they reached Islamabad.
The episode underscores Pakistan’s efforts to position itself as a diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran as the two powers remain locked in a dangerous standoff. Islamabad has facilitated contacts between the sides since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran on Feb. 28. At the center of the crisis is the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which much of the world’s oil passes. Iran has effectively blocked the waterway since the start of the bombing campaign, with some vessels reporting being fired upon as they attempted to transit. In response, the United States last month imposed its own blockade on ships departing Iranian ports, and both sides have seized vessels in international waters.
The latest repatriation follows a pattern of such incidents. On April 19, US forces boarded and seized the M/V Touska, a container ship belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines group, which has long been subject to American sanctions. The vessel was intercepted off Iran’s Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman. Six crew members were released on April 29, and the remaining 22 were evacuated to Pakistan on May 4 before crossing back into Iran by land. The ship itself was taken to Pakistan for repairs and later returned to its owners.
Similarly, on April 23, US forces seized the M/T Majestic X oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, according to the Department of War. The 31 seafarers repatriated Friday were not identified by name or linked to specific vessels in Dar’s statement, but their cases appear to reflect the broader fallout from the naval tit-for-tat that has stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and, in this instance, waters near Singapore.
Dar’s statement struck a tone of quiet satisfaction and fraternal solidarity. He referred to the Iranians as “our brothers” and said Pakistan would assist in their onward journey home after the group’s arrival in Islamabad. The operation, he suggested, was a small but concrete example of how diplomatic coordination could mitigate the human cost of a conflict that has already roiled energy markets and raised fears of wider regional instability.
Pakistani officials have not commented publicly on the legal basis for the US seizures or on whether any charges were involved. Nor has the State Department in Washington issued a statement on the repatriation.
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