Shipping associations have called for greater military presence in the middle east to protect vessels and seafarers from escalating threats.

A Portuguese-flagged container ship, the MSC Aries, was seized by Iran on April 13 for "violating maritime laws", Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday, adding that there was no doubt the vessel was linked to Israel.

Officials from India may soon be able to meet crew from the country who are on a ship seized by Iranian troops. Seventeen of the 25 crew members on the MSC Aries, a commercial ship with links to Israel, are Indian. Iran's foreign ministry issued a statement after a phone call between top officials of the two countries.

The US and UK have called for the immediate release of the container ship MSC Aries seized by Iran.

An Indian woman who was a crew member on the MSC Aries container vessel seized by Iran on April 13 has returned to the country, India's foreign ministry said on Thursday.