Amrit Jha, 33, from Gaighat in Udayapur, is currently in the custody of Iranian forces.
He was detained by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf while returning with oil from Bandar Abbas port in the Hormuz region.
Jha had travelled to Iran to transport fuel before the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel, the United States. He had been working as a captain for a shipping company in Dubai and was detained while returning there with oil.
According to his elder brother, Sunil Thakur, Amrit informed the family about his detention a few days after being taken into custody by Iranian security personnel.
A couple of days ago, he sent a voice message via WhatsApp from a new number, saying, “Iranian security personnel have detained me along with two Indian nationals. Please coordinate with the Government of Nepal for our rescue.” However, the number from which the message was sent is no longer reachable.
After receiving the voice message, his sister, Pooja, submitted an application to the Department of Consular Services requesting his rescue.
Amrit had gone to Dubai two years ago for foreign employment. He was working as a captain on a vessel operated by Black Sea Marine LLC. The last time he contacted his family was on January 12, when he informed them that he was in Iran and would return to Nepal after completing his work.
“We were in regular contact, and he kept saying he would return to Nepal after finishing this assignment,” says his brother Sunil to Onlinekhabar. “But he was detained while returning.”
Following the application, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Nepali Embassy in Doha, Qatar, to gather information about his condition.
Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudyal Chhetri said that efforts are underway to obtain consular access.
“We have received the application from the family and have initiated action on it,” he says. “We are working to secure consular access through the Nepali Embassy in Doha.”
The ministry stated that coordination is ongoing through the embassy, the ministry, and Nepal’s consular presence related to Iran to assess his situation.
Officials said his case has been given high priority, but due to the ongoing war, it is difficult to access the area directly.
Nepal’s consular office for Iran is currently operating from Turkey, which is why coordination is being carried out via the embassy in Doha and other channels.
Following his detention, Jha’s family has travelled from Udayapur to Kathmandu. His father, who has a heart condition, has not been informed about the situation.
Triyuga Municipality in Udayapur has also appealed for his safe release, writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and urging immediate diplomatic intervention.
There are currently 10 Nepali nationals in Iran. Previously, there were six, but four more have recently come into contact with authorities. According to the ministry, all are safe and have registered their names through the Indian Embassy to return on evacuation flights arranged for Indian citizens.
The situation in the Middle East has become increasingly serious due to the ongoing 22-day war between Iran and Israel, the United States. Iran has been targeting U.S. military bases in Gulf countries with missile and drone attacks, raising concerns about the safety of Nepali nationals in the region.
