India flags ‘serious concern’ after Iranian firing disrupts ship movement
India on Saturday summoned Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali and conveyed its strong protest after two Indian-flagged vessels had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following an incident of firing by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed to the envoy India’s “deep concern” at the shooting incident involving the two ships, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The foreign secretary 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”, it said. “Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, the 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,” the MEA said in a statement. It said that Ambassador Fathali “undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities”.
Several commercial vessels tried to cross the Strait of Hormuz after Iran on Friday announced that it had opened the waterway for commercial traffic. Tehran on Saturday said it has again closed the Strait of Hormuz, alleging that the US violated a certain understanding reached between the two sides.
A vessel tracker earlier reported that two Indian vessels had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following the incident of gunfire from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underlined India’s strong commitment to “safe and unimpeded” transit passage of maritime shipping, even as he emphasised that attacks on merchant shipping are “completely unacceptable“. Jaishankar made the remarks while participating in an online meeting convened by Japan to discuss supply chain disruptions in the energy markets.
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