New Delhi: Ten Indian sailors detained in Iran on board an oil tanker in July 2025 have been released after “continued diplomatic engagement”, the Directorate General of Shipping said in a statement on Tuesday.“Sailors of the MV Harbor Phoenix were detained, arrested and imprisoned in Iran following the ship’s interception near Jask Port in July 2025,” it said.“Through sustained diplomatic engagement and coordinated efforts between the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Embassy in Tehran, RPSL Company, vessel managers and other stakeholders, the seafarers have now been released and safely reunified,” the statement said. “Necessary arrangements are being coordinated for the early return of the crew members to India,” the statement said.“The Shipping Directorate did not provide further information on the reason for their arrest or about the ship, which is listed on ship tracking sites as a Palau-flagged oil products tanker.This 32-year-old oil tanker is registered with UAE-based company Harbor Phoenix Shipping. The tanker operated under the flag of Palau and navigated sea lanes primarily within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The ship was stopped by Iranian forces near Jask Port in July 2025 for alleged diesel smuggling.Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – which normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments – since the US and Israel launched attacks on February 28. There are currently several peace efforts underway to lift Iranian sanctions and open the strait to merchant ships.