Tehran Welcomes Yemen’s Ship Crew Release; Mexico Thanks Iran’s Mediation

By Staff, Agencies

Iran has welcomed Yemen's recent measure to release the crew of an "Israeli"-linked cargo vessel that was confiscated shortly after the zionist entity waged its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Iran's Foreign Ministry assistant and director general for Persian Gulf Affairs Mohammad Alibek has been in communication with Yemeni parties and Palestinian Hamas resistance group in recent months.

“We are now pleased that, with the sincere cooperation of Yemen's Ansarullah [resistance movement], the crew of the ship will return to their respective countries,” he added.

Yemen seized the Galaxy Leader, a Japanese-operated vehicle owned by a British company and partially owned by "Israeli" tycoon Abraham Ungar, as part of its Gaza campaign in support of Palestinians.

The seizure took place in the Red Sea through a helicopter-borne Yemeni operation in November 2023.

Since then, the vessel’s 25-strong crew – 17 Filipinos, three Ukrainians, two Bulgarians, two Mexicans and a Romanian – had been held in Yemen.

On Wednesday, Yemen's Supreme Political Council “announced the freeing of the crew of the Galaxy Leader," saying the move came “in support of the ceasefire" in Gaza.

The ship’s crew had been handed to mediators from Oman, Yemen’s al-Masirah television channel reported.

The move is part of Yemen’s broader efforts to support the Palestinian people and strengthen regional solidarity against Israel's bloody onslaught on Gaza.

On the other hand, Mexico’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Anibal Gomez-Toledo posted on X a picture of himself with the Galaxy Leader's two freed Mexican crew.

Mexico's Foreign Ministry extended its gratitude to Oman for its mediation, and to Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, and Mexico's honorary consuls in Yemen and Oman for their assistance.