India conveys deep concern over Hormuz incident, urges Iran to facilitate India-bound ships across Strait

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said that Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, was called in for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri over the shooting incident involving Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

During the meeting, India conveyed deep concerns over the incident involving two Indian-flagged ships – one of which is believed to be a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) – that came under fire from gunboats of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even though the tanker and crew are reported to be safe.

“The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi was called in by the Ministry of External Affairs for a meeting with Foreign Secretary this evening. During the meeting, Foreign Secretary conveyed India’s deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” read a statement issued by the MEA spokesperson on Saturday evening.

“He noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India’s views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait,” it added.

According to the MEA, the Iranian Ambassador undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre confirmed that a tanker and container ship came under fire from IRGC gunboats.

A UKMTO warning stated: “Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of Oman. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating.”

Another UKMTO warning mentioned that the organisation has received a report of an incident 25NM northeast of Oman.

“A report of a Container Ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, no fires or environment impact reported. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to report suspicious activity to UKMTO,” it stated.

Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has “reverted to its previous state” amid the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters’ spokesman was quoted as saying by the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency that the Strait of Hormuz is under “strict control” of the Iranian Armed Forces and will remain in its previous operational state.

The spokesperson further stated that under the pretext of a blockade, the United States continued acts of “sea robbery” and “piracy” with repeated breaches of commitments and a history of misconduct due to which “control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces”.

He also mentioned that the situation will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status until the restrictions on the free movement of vessels from Iran to their destination and from elsewhere to Iran are removed by the United States.

Reports citing vessel tracking data said that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s renewed control over the strategic waterway.

According to shipping data from Marine Traffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic.

IANS