The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today (Tuesday) that Iranian authorities have released Egyptian sailors who were detained aboard the ship "Rim Al-Bahar" in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas since last January.

The ministry added that its efforts succeeded in securing their exit from Iran and facilitating their return to Egypt, noting that the Egyptian interests office in Tehran completed the procedures for their return to Egypt.

It stated in a statement that Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati "made high-level contacts with the Iranian side for the release of the Egyptian sailors and directed the Egyptian interests office in Iran to make every effort to ensure their well-being and provide all means of support and assistance."

The ministry mentioned that the office visited them aboard the aforementioned ship, and the Foreign Minister instructed the consular sector of the ministry to meet with their families and keep them updated on the latest developments.

It pointed out that the Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs and Egyptians Abroad, Ambassador Hossam El-Din El-Gohary, received the families of the sailors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform them about the efforts made by the ministry, which culminated in their release and the completion of their return procedures to Egypt.

It added that the head of the Egyptian interests office in Tehran met with them before their departure from Iran on their way to Cairo to ensure their well-being and provide them with all means of support and assistance.

Iran announced last January that it had detained a foreign oil tanker carrying four million liters of smuggled fuel near Qeshm Island in the Gulf.

It did not mention the name of the ship or its nationality, but stated that it had detained 16 foreign crew members on criminal charges.