NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Friday said that India has asked for consular access to ten Indian nationals taken into custody in Iran.“Ten people have been taken into custody. We have asked for consular access for Indian nationals in Iran custody,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
It came after reports of 16 Indian crew members of the vessel MT Valiant Roar being taken into custody by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following which the family of Third Engineer Ketan Mehta appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and help rescue their son.The MT Valiant Roar was intercepted by the IRGC on December 8, 2025, in international waters near the UAE’s Dibba Port. Iranian authorities have accused the vessel of smuggling 6,000 metric tonnes of fuel.A family member of the merchant navy captain Vijay, who is in Iranian custody, said: “Their vessel was in international waters when it was intercepted by the Iranian Navy. The Navy boarded the vessel and took it to their port (Bandar Abbas). On the night of the 8th, I received a WhatsApp message from my brother saying they had been intercepted and asking me to coordinate with the company operator.”“I tried contacting my brother, but was unable to do so. I then contacted the company operators, who informed me that they were detained by the Iranian Navy but failed to provide any reason. Later, I contacted the agency through which they had travelled, and they also confirmed that they were in the custody of the Iranian Navy for an unknown reason. On the 12th, I mailed DG Shipping, and the matter was subsequently raised with the ministry of external affairs and the Iranian Consulate,” he added.On the Iran unrest which has left thousands dead, MEA said: “The external affairs minister did have a conversation with the Iranian foreign minister. The Iranian foreign minister shared with him the developments that have happened in the recent past.”
