India on Saturday lodged a formal protest with the Iranian Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, following an incident in which Indian vessels were fired upon in the Strait of Hormuz.
Two Indian vessels, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, were forced back out of the Strait of Hormuz after being approached by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval units, shipping monitor TankerTrackers reported on Saturday.
No crew members were injured, and the vessels sustained no damage, but the incident occurred in a crucial shipping lane northeast of Oman, a key route for global oil trade.
However, the two ships had to turn back after the incident.
Audio recordings indicated that IRGC gunboats fired during the encounter as the ships were redirected westward.
One of the vessels was a very large crude carrier transporting approximately two million barrels of Iraqi oil.
“Meanwhile, India is still importing Iranian oil. With friends like these,” TankerTrackers remarked.
According to two Channel 16 audio recordings captured today, two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Sepah (IRGC) Navy, with firing involved. One of the vessels is an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi oil.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the incident through KMTO WARNING 038-26. A container ship in the region was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing damage to some containers; no fires or environmental hazards were reported. Authorities are investigating the attack.
Audio recordings reportedly indicate that IRGC gunboats fired upon the vessels before redirecting them westward, according to Iranian media. Some merchant vessels also received radio messages stating that the Strait of Hormuz was temporarily closed to shipping.
The attack on Indian vessels comes after some merchant vessels received radio messages stating that the Strait of Hormuz was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing shipping sources.
Iran says it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again, describing the decision as a response to the continued blockade of its ports by the United States.
The Iranian military said on Saturday that control of the strategic waterway, through which 20 percent of global oil flows, has “returned to its previous state.” with reports indicating that Iranian gunboats fired at a merchant vessel as it attempted to cross.
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Iran wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open but believes the United States is trying to undermine the diplomatic track.
“We want the Strait of Hormuz to remain open, but the American side is trying to weaken the diplomatic path,” Saeed Khatibzadeh said.
He added that there would be no blockade in the future and that no one could dictate terms to Iran. He further warned that if war broke out again, Iran would respond with full force.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated on Saturday, as cited by Iranian media, that the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports represents “acts of piracy and maritime theft,” adding that control over Hormuz is “under the strict management and control of the armed forces.”
“Until the US restores full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran to their destinations and back, the status of the Strait of Hormuz will remain tightly controlled and in its previous condition,” the statement said.
