Six Iranians Released From Seized Ship, 22 In U.S. Custody
Six crew members of the Iranian-flagged container ship MV Touska have been released following the vessel’s seizure by the United States military, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency has reported. However, 22 other crew members remain in American custody, with their fate still uncertain.
The Touska is the first non-military Iranian ship known to have been targeted during the ongoing conflict, seized as part of a naval blockade the U.S. has enforced around Iranian ports since mid-April.
On April 19, 2026, U.S. Marines boarded the vessel in the Arabian Sea after a six-hour standoff, rappelling from helicopters launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance had fired on and disabled the ship’s engine room after the crew refused to comply with repeated warnings to halt.
President Trump announced the seizure on Truth Social, saying the crew “refused to listen” and that U.S. Marines had taken full custody of the vessel. Trump also noted that troops were actively examining what was on board, as the cargo contents remained unclear at the time.
Tehran swiftly condemned the seizure. Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the operation as an act of “piracy” and a violation of the ceasefire that had largely held between the two countries since April 9. The Ministry issued a formal statement demanding the unconditional return of all those detained, declaring that Iran “emphasises the necessity of the immediate release of the Iranian vessel and its sailors, crew, and their families.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson also announced that Tehran had no plans to send negotiators to Islamabad for peace talks being hosted by Pakistan, accusing Washington of showing no seriousness in pursuing diplomacy.
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The Touska seizure took place against the backdrop of a broader conflict that began when President Trump announced major combat operations against Iran in February, followed by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian military, government, and infrastructure targets.
A two-week ceasefire was later declared, though talks in Pakistan failed to produce a peace deal. The U.S. naval blockade has effectively cut off Iran’s oil exports, with Iran having earned nearly $5 billion in oil revenue in the month before the blockade was imposed.
The Touska and its owners have been under U.S. Treasury and OFAC sanctions since as far back as 2012, accused of helping Iran circumvent existing sanctions regimes.
The release of six crew members may signal an initial diplomatic gesture, but with 22 detainees still in U.S. custody and U.S.-Iran peace talks stalled, the standoff over the Touska remains a volatile flashpoint in an already fragile and escalating conflict.