Iran has freed nine of 12 Indian crew from a Panama-flagged tanker seized on July 14, India’s foreign ministry said Friday. Iran had accused the MT Riah ship of smuggling contraband fuel when it was detained, amid mounting tensions between the Iranian government and both Britain and the US over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. “Nine crew members have been released and they will be on their way to India soon,” said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar.
