Saudi Arabia said 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 Hodeida, to Oman.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are arch-adversaries in the Middle East, backing opposite sides in several regional wars including in Yemen where an Arab coalition has been battling the Iran-backed Houthi movement for four years.
But Saudi Arabia in June said it had evacuated a crew member for medical reasons from a "suspect" Iranian ship northwest of Hodeida 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.
Oman traditionally seeks to play a conciliatory role in the turbulent region.
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.
Reuters
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