Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned India that all commercial vessels must immediately comply with US orders in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that violations of the US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, according to a readout of his conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The phone call took place as Jaishankar raised India’s strong protest over recent US military strikes on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Oman that killed three Indian seafarers.
The vessels, including the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello, had 24 Indian crew members on board; 21 were rescued while three were confirmed dead.
The incident has triggered a diplomatic response from New Delhi, which summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires twice this week and strongly objected to the use of lethal force against civilian shipping. India said such actions undermine the safety and stability of international maritime commerce.
In his conversation with Rubio, Jaishankar reiterated that attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members are unacceptable and must cease immediately, calling for dialogue and diplomacy to restore regional stability.
A US State Department statement said Rubio emphasised that all commercial shipping must follow US directives aimed at maintaining peace and security in the region, particularly in the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions over Iranian oil shipments.
