The 22 Iranian crew of a U.S.-seized vessel were repatriated through Pakistan Monday, in what Islamabad described as a "confidence-building measure" by Washington amid its fragile diplomatic contacts with Tehran.
The sailors, who had been held aboard the container ship Touska, were flown into Islamabad late Sunday and were due to be handed over to Iranian authorities, according to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
The handover follows a tense maritime standoff in the Gulf of Oman, where U.S. forces intercepted the Iranian-flagged vessel.
President Donald Trump said the ship carried "a gift from China," an allegation Beijing rejected, insisting it opposed "any malicious association and speculation."
Iran has condemned the seizure as "piracy" and a violation of an April cease-fire, urging the United Nations to intervene.
