Iranian seizure of the MSC Aries
On 13 April 2024, Iran seized MSC Aries, a Portuguese-registered and Madeira-flagged container ship owned by Gortal Shipping and leased to Mediterranean Shipping Company, which Iran claimed was linked to Israel. The ship, with a crew of 25 people, was boarded by Iranian commandos in the Strait of Hormuz, within international waters off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, and taken to Iranian waters, effectively imprisoning the crew.
The United States, United Kingdom, and Portugal called for the ship's release immediately afterwards. On 3 May, Iran released the crew, but retained control of the vessel.
Background
Since 2019, Iran has engaged in heightened naval action against European, American and Israeli shipping, persistently attacking various vessels and seizing ships amidst political issues, dubbed "piracy" by Israeli outlets in 2023. The event occurred during an escalation between Iran and Israel during the proxy war between Israel and Iran and Hamas.On 1 April 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, destroying the building housing its consular section. The airstrike killed 16 people, including 7 officers of the Islamic [Revolutionary Guard Corps]. United States president Joe Biden warned Iran not to escalate the situation.
''MSC Aries''
MSC Aries is a container ship built in 2020. As of 2024 the ship is Portuguese-registered and Madeira-flagged. She has a length of and a beam of. It has a and a summer tonnage of. The ship is leased by MSC from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, with MSC directing the ship's activities. The Iranian foreign ministry claimed that the ship was undoubtedly linked to Israel, as Zodiac is partially owned by an Israeli businessman.Events
On the morning of 13 April 2024, Iran's Revolutionary Guards boarded and took control of MSC Aries via helicopter, claiming that it had violated maritime law. The seizure of the ship occurred in international waters near the UAE coast. The Israeli foreign minister called the Iranian action an act of international piracy, in alignment with international law. The Iranian military subsequently took the ship and its crew to Iranian waters. The 25 crew members onboard comprised 17 Indians, four Filipinos, two Pakistanis, one Russian and one Estonian national.On 27 April, the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced that the 24 remaining crew of MSC Aries being held were given access to their respective consulates, and would be released. On 3 May, he announced that the crew was released, but the vessel remained under the control of Iran.