India engages Iran, ensures safe transit of oil tankers
Two Indian-flagged oil tankers have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz after receiving clearance from Iran, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saying diplomatic engagement with Tehran is producing results.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Jaishankar said the discussions were ongoing and had helped ease the passage of some vessels through the strategic waterway.
“I am at the moment engaged in talking to them, and my talking has yielded some results. This is ongoing. If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it,” he said.
“Certainly, from India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution.” The minister clarified there was no blanket agreement with Tehran for Indian vessels. “There was no ‘blanket arrangement’ with Iran for Indian-flagged ships and… ‘every ship movement is an individual happening’,” he said.
Rejecting suggestions of any quid pro quo, Jaishankar added: “It’s not an exchange issue. India and Iran have a relationship. And this is a conflict that we regard as something very unfortunate.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about ensuring the transit of goods and energy supplies.
The two vessels that crossed the Strait were carrying liquefied petroleum gas. The narrow shipping route - the Persian Gulf’s only outlet to the Arabian Sea - has become a major chokepoint amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
Jaishankar also thanked Armenia for helping evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. “Thank the Government and the people of Armenia for facilitating the safe evacuation of over 550 Indian nationals from Iran so far,” he said during his visit to Brussels.
