Pakistan repatriates Iranian fishermen after rescued at sea by British vessel

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Eight Iranian fishermen who were rescued at sea by a British vessel after their boat ran aground have been successfully repatriated to Iran from Karachi, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday.

He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and maritime authorities coordinated closely with both Iranian and British officials to facilitate the safe transit and swift return of the fishermen.

Dar stated that the fishermen departed from Karachi for Iran earlier in the morning.

“Glad to share that the eight Iranian fishermen rescued at sea by the British vessel MMA Valour after their boat ran aground have been successfully repatriated,” Dar said in a statement on social media platform X.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and all concerned authorities coordinated closely with the Iranian and UK authorities to facilitate the safe transit and early return of our Iranian brethren to their homeland.”

Dar expressed gratitude to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for the trust reposed in Islamabad throughout the repatriation process, while praising all domestic and international stakeholders for their cooperation in making the safe return possible.

Pakistan and Iran share a volatile maritime border, where fishermen from both sides are frequently detained or stranded due to poor navigation equipment or technical failures in international waters.