Iran arranges special transport to send sailors back from India

Iranian ship IRIS Bushehr after a US submarine attack, off the coast of Colombo. (AFP image)

Iran has arranged special transportation to return about 180 sailors from India, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Most of the 180 Iranian sailors will fly back from the southern Indian city of Kochi, the person said, requesting not be identified as the matter is sensitive.

Iran is also bringing back the bodies of sailors who lost their lives after the US sank their ship off the coast of Sri Lanka, the person said.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and the Indian Navy didn’t immediately respond to a request for information after business hours.

The development comes a week after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast, deepening the Middle East war and bringing it closer to India’s doorstep. Of the 130 people on board the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, about 32 were saved and treated at a hospital, according to Sri Lankan officials. Dozens remain missing.

India is negotiating with Iran for safe passage for its vessels as it grapples with an energy crisis that’s caused a shortage of cooking gas, sowing disruption across the country. On Saturday, India said it allowed an Iranian naval vessel to dock in its port, days before a frigate from the Persian Gulf nation was sunk by a US submarine.

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, has spoken four times in recent days with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi to discuss issues related to safety of vessels of shipping and energy security.