E-Paper
Two Indian ships allowed to pass through Strait of Hormuz amid Iran-US war
This comes at a time most vessels remain stranded over fears being caught in the crossfire between US and Iran.
Two Indian-flagged ships are said to have been allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran-US war, even as most vessels remain stranded over fears being caught in the crossfire that started on February 28. Track updates on Iran US war
Sources said the Indian ships began transiting safely through the Strait between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. An official statement on the matter is awaited.
Also read: Why is US probing India, 15 others over trade practices? Full list of countries under scanner
This comes two days after a Liberian flagged tanker hauling Saudi Arabian crude, captained by an Indian, cleared the Strait of Hormuz and berthed at the port of Maharashtra's Mumbai on Wednesday, becoming the first India-destined vessel to safely transit the waterway, where maritime traffic has all but halted since the US and Israel attacked Iran. Follow updates on West Asia conflict
On Tuesday, external affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi and discussed the latest developments in the conflict in West Asia.
As the military confrontation between the US and Iran rages on for almost two weeks now, Strait of Hormuz, a strategic oil passage, has emerged to be a flashpoint between the two sides with Iran taking control of it and the US contesting the claim.
Ship transit has mostly remained halted since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked latter's retaliation.
Iran's warning over Strait of Hormuz
The passage to Indian vessels come amid Iran intensifying its offensive over the Strait of Hormuz and issuing a stern warning, asking the ships passing through the the stretch to seek its approval to use the passage or face attack.
Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were hit by unidentified attackers in Iraq's territorial waters, causing them to catch fire, the director general of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, told Reuters on Wednesday. An initial investigation from Iraqi security officials showed explosive-laden boats from Iran had hit the two tankers.
Meanwhile, Rear-admiral Alireza Tangsiri, Iranian naval officer who serves as the commander of the IRGC Navy, said that two ships - Express Rome and Mayuree Naree - that had ignored Iran's warnings were targeted in the Strait on Wednesday.
"Were the ships assured of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz? This should be asked of the crews of the vessels Express Rome and Mayuree Naree, who today, trusting in empty promises, ignored the warnings and intended to cross the Strait, but were caught. Any vessel intending to pass must obtain permission from Iran," the Iranian general said in a post on X.
More than 20 million barrels of crude oil, roughly fifth of global oil consumption, pass daily through the Strait of Hormuz that separates the Iranian coast from Oman. A significant share of the world's liquefied natural gas also moves through the same passage. When that flow falters even briefly, the consequences cascade across financial markets, supply chains and household budgets around the world.
