An Iranian sailor, who was taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2015 and released days ago, arrived in Tehran on Tuesday.
Mohammad Sharif Panahandeh was welcomed by Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari at Imam Khomeini International Airport on Tuesday, Mehr reported.
Panahandeh was taken hostage more than four years ago by Somali pirates while fishing in the region.
A humanitarian group working to free people taken hostage by Somali pirates in recent years announced the release of Panahandeh on Saturday.
The Hostage Support Partnership said in a statement that the Iranian sailor had become increasingly ill and couldn’t have survived much longer.
The organization says he was one of four remaining hostages held in Somalia. Their Iranian fishing vessel was captured in March 2015.
