Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it had sent a crew member of an Iranian ship who was previously evacuated for medical reasons from a vessel off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, to Oman.
Saudi Arabia in June said it had evacuated a crew member for medical reasons from a “suspect” Iranian ship northwest of Hodeidah after receiving a request for help from Tehran.
The Iranian had now been sent to Oman at Tehran’s request after receiving the necessary medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, a source in Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry was quoted as saying by state news agency SPA.
“The ministry received a request from the Iranian foreign ministry through the Swiss embassy in Riyadh to transfer (the crew member) to the Sultanate of Oman after his health improved,” the Saudi foreign ministry source was quoted as saying by SPA.
“The assistance of the Iranian and his transfer to Iran came at the orders of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense,” said the source.
“It stems from the Kingdom’s firm humanitarian stances, away from politicization, despite the vessel’s suspicious activity and threat to regional and international peace and security”, he added.
The crew member had been airlifted from the Iranian vessel Savis to a military hospital in the Saudi city of Jizan, which borders Yemen, after being seriously injured on board the ship.
