What happened
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on 15 May 2026 that Pakistan had repatriated 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian nationals who had been aboard vessels seized by the United States on the high seas.
In a post on X, Dar said the group had been brought out through Singapore and that all those on board were in good health and good spirits. He said the 31 people had reached Bangkok from Singapore and had boarded a flight due to reach Islamabad later that night, adding that the Iranian nationals would be helped to return to Iran after arriving in Pakistan.
Coordination with other governments
Dar thanked Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the government of Singapore for its support, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for what he described as Tehran’s trust in Pakistan for the repatriation of the Iranian nationals. He also acknowledged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for close coordination, and his Thai counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow for facilitating the group’s transit through Bangkok at Pakistan’s request.
Dar further thanked Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior and the country’s missions in Singapore and Thailand. His statement did not give further operational details about the vessels, but confirmed that the individuals had been aboard ships seized by the United States in international waters and that the repatriation had been completed in coordination with several countries.
Why it matters
The repatriation was one of a series of consular and diplomatic steps Pakistan has taken as the US-Iran conflict and its aftermath disrupted shipping and left crews stranded. It followed earlier Pakistani requests for help in bringing seafarers home, and it involved coordination with Washington, Tehran, Singapore and Thailand — reflecting the multiple channels Islamabad has used while positioning itself as a facilitator between the United States and Iran.
What is still uncertain
Dar’s statement did not identify the seized vessels, their flag states or the dates of their seizure, and gave no breakdown of how the 11 Pakistanis and 20 Iranians had been held. It was not immediately clear how many more Pakistani or Iranian crew members might remain aboard seized vessels.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published material, not independent reporting. Sources reviewed on 2026-05-15. Details of the repatriation are attributed to the statements named below.
- Pakistan Today — "Pakistan repatriates 11 nationals and 20 Iranians from US-seized vessels, says Dar"15 May 2026 · Reports Dar's statement and the route through Singapore and Bangkok.
- Radio Pakistan — "Pakistan repatriates its 11 nationals from US-seized vessels"15 May 2026 · Reports the 11 Pakistanis and 20 Iranians repatriated and Dar's thanks to the countries involved.
