India has sought immediate consular access to 16 Indian crew members aboard oil tanker MT Valiant Roar, which was seized by Iranian authorities in international waters near Dibba Port in the UAE, the Indian Embassy in Tehran said on Saturday.
In a statement, the embassy said it was informed in mid-December 2025 about the detention of the vessel. “Around mid-December 2025, Mission was informed about the detention of the vessel MT Valiant Roar by Iranian authorities, with 16 Indian crew members on board,” it said, adding that the Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas wrote to the Iranian government seeking consular access on December 14.
“The request for consular access has been repeated numerous times since then, both by diplomatic correspondence and in-person meetings in Bandar Abbas and Tehran, including at the level of the Ambassador,” the statement said. Iranian authorities were also urged to allow the crew to communicate with their families in India.
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The embassy said it was working to ensure the welfare of the crew, including arrangements for food, water and fuel with the assistance of the Iranian navy. It has also been coordinating with the UAE-based company that owns the vessel to secure legal representation and ensure regular supplies.
“Upon being informed by the ship of depleting food and water stocks, the Mission intervened with the Iranian navy to arrange emergency supplies of food and water in early January,” the statement said, adding that the Indian Consulate in Dubai was pressing the ship-owning company on legal and logistical support.
The matter is expected to be taken up through judicial processes in Iran. The embassy’s statement came days after the family of one of the crew members appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for intervention.
The MT Valiant Roar was intercepted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps on December 8, 2025. Iranian authorities have accused the vessel of smuggling around 6,000 metric tonnes of fuel.
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