KATHMANDU: Amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, a Nepali youth has been detained by Iranian security forces in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf region.
The Iranian authorities reportedly seized control of a commercial ship and took Amrit Jha, a resident of Dhanusha, into custody.
At a press briefing on Friday, Ramkaji Khadka, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ West Asia Division, confirmed that all crew members aboard the vessel, including Jha, have been detained by Iranian forces.
Jha was employed as a technical staff member on the ship. Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed the ship had alleged ties to Israel when they took control of it in the Strait of Hormuz.
Jha’s family had filed a search request with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after losing contact with him. The ministry said it is working through the Nepali Embassy in Tehran to ascertain his condition and secure his release.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow but strategically vital waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Like Jha, many Nepalis are employed as cooks, mechanics, and security personnel on international merchant vessels.
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