New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (January 16) confirmed that it has officially requested consular access to ten Indian nationals currently detained by Iranian authorities. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Indian officials are engaged with Iran concerning the detention of the nationals. This comes after reports emerged that 16 Indian crew members aboard the oil tanker MT Valiant Roar were apprehended by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Families of the detained individuals, including relatives of Third Engineer Ketan Mehta, have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for their release.
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As per available details, the MT Valiant Roar was intercepted on December 8, 2025, while navigating international waters near Dibba Port off the UAE coast. Iranian authorities have claimed that the vessel was engaged in the illegal transportation of around 6,000 metric tonnes of fuel. A relative of Captain Vijay, who is among those detained, reported that the ship was boarded by Iranian naval forces and redirected to Bandar Abbas. The family member mentioned that the captain had sent a message soon after the interception, seeking help in coordinating with the shipping company. Later attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
The shipping operator and recruitment agency subsequently confirmed that the crew had been placed in custody but could not provide clarity on the charges. The issue was brought before the Directorate General of Shipping and later escalated to the MEA and the Iranian Consulate. Meanwhile, addressing the continuing unrest in Iran, which has allegedly led to thousands of deaths, the MEA said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently held discussions with his Iranian counterpart, who updated him on the latest situation.
In a separate development, India also confirmed it is in discussions with the United States to extend a sanctions waiver that permits New Delhi to sustain its operations at Iran’s Chabahar Port. The waiver, issued by the US Treasury Department in October 2025, is currently valid until April 26, 2026. Officials indicated that India is working within the prevailing framework to ensure uninterrupted operations at the port, which is deemed crucial for regional connectivity, trade, and access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, while circumventing Pakistan.