'India Is Our Friend': Iran On Safe Transit For India-Bound Ships Through Strait Of Hormuz Amid Conflict

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, on Friday said that Tehran will ensure safe passage to vessels bound for India through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, citing 'friendly relations' between the two nations.

Responding to a question on whether Iran would allow Indian-bound ships' safe transit through the Strait, Fathali said,“Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see in the future and I think that after two or three hours. Because we believe that. We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests; we have a common fate,” reported ANI.

Fathali further stated that Tehran has instructed its embassy in India to facilitate the Indian government, ensuring smooth operations amid the ongoing regional conflict, mentioned the news wire report.

The Iranian Ambassador's comments come amid the ongoing conflict between Israel-US-Iran, which entered it second week last Saturday, 7 March.

Iran-US-Israel conflict

Iran launched a wave of retaliatory strikes after US, Israel jointly attacked the Islamic Republic on Saturday, 28 February, in which former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, other top leaders were killed. Explosions were reported across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, among other Gulf cities – which are also home to US military bases.

Iran also attacked ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz – a key sea route through which India gets 85-90% of its LPG imports from West Asian nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. As of Thursday, 12 March, as many as 19 ships were hit by Iran in the key chokepoint with some seven persons being killed in the attack, Hindustan Times reported earlier.

On Friday, 13 March, India witnessed its fourth consecutive day of LPG shortages, with disruptions reported across major cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai.

Why is Strait of Hormuz in focus?

The Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime link between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and serves as a key route for roughly a quarter of the world's liquefied natural gas and seaborne exports from Gulf nations to global markets.

Described by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) as one of the world's most important oil chokepoints, the strait handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day - roughly one-fifth of global consumption - and around one-fifth of global LNG trade, mainly from Qatar.

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Several strategically important islands dot the waterway, including Iran's Hormuz, Qeshm and Larak. Also located there are the disputed Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa islands, under Iranian control since 1971, offering Tehran a commanding position over passing ships.

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