The 17 Indian crew members on board a cargo ship connected to Israel that Iran has detained would be permitted to meet with Indian government officials, the Iranian foreign ministry announced on Monday. The guarantee was given following a phone call made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian, who expressed concerns over the crew's situation. Iranian foreign minister said in a statement that Mr Jaishankar requested his assistance in this matter. "Dr. Amir Abdollahian said in this regard that we are following up on the details of the seized ship and soon it will be possible for the representatives of the Indian government to meet with the crew of the said ship," it read. Following the ship's detention on Saturday, India has been in contact with Iran to arrange for the crew members' immediate release.

As hostilities between Israel and Iran get worse, Mr. Jaishankar has urged restraint and avoiding escalation. A few weeks after Israeli raids on its consulate in Syria resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel, unleashing hundreds of drones and missiles. India has requested an immediate de-escalation and advised its embassies in the area to maintain constant contact with the Indian population residing in the area. "We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region. We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan