New Delhi: India on Monday summoned Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the Ministry of External Affairs and lodged a protest over an Iranian missile strike on two UAE‑flagged tankers in the Strait of Hormuz killed one Indian crew member and wounded eight others, government sources said.
The United Arab Emirates has said Iranian cruise missiles struck the oil tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within waters off Oman, setting both ships ablaze. The UAE termed the strikes as a “brazen” violation of international law. Of the eight injured, four were Indian and two Ukrainian; six were reported to be in serious condition.
The Ministry of External Affairs urged an immediate easing of tensions and called for a diplomatic settlement. “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 MEA said.
It also stressed that attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure must stop and that “free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest,” according to the statement.
The Strait of Hormuz, which channels roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports, remains a flashpoint as maritime operators face competing assertions of control over the vital shipping corridor. The US announced an offer to provide protection to ships transiting the strait for a 20% fee under then‑President Donald Trump. Iran dismissed the proposal, saying the strait is under its jurisdiction and rejecting the imposition of such charges.
