India summoned Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following an Iranian missile strike on two UAE-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that killed an Indian crew member and injured eight others.
Deputy Chief of Mission Mohammad Javad Hosseini was called to the MEA after India sought an explanation and conveyed its concerns over the attack, which took place in Omani territorial waters.
The diplomatic démarche followed Sunday’s missile strike in which two UAE-flagged tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were hit by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the UAE, the attack killed one Indian crew member and injured eight others, including six Indians and two Ukrainians. Four of the injured remain in critical condition.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has alleged that the vessels were using an “illegal route” near the Omani side of the Strait, accusing the United States of facilitating their passage. The IRGC also claimed that mines had been laid in those waters.
India had earlier condemned the attack and expressed deep concern over the continuing violence targeting commercial shipping in the region.
“The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The ministry further stressed that attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must end and called for the restoration of free and unimpeded navigation through international waterways in accordance with international law.
The UAE described the strike as a “brazen” violation of international law, saying both tankers caught fire after being hit.
The latest attack has further heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has offered American naval protection to commercial vessels transiting the Strait in exchange for a 20 per cent fee. Iran rejected the proposal, insisting that the strategic waterway remains under its control and dismissing the idea of imposing such charges.
