India among ‘friendly nations’ listed by Iran for big Strait of Hormuz reprieve

Iran: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said that it has allowed ‘friendly nations’ like India, Pakistan, Iraq, China, and Russia to use the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway in the Gulf that has taken center stage amid the ongoing Iran-US war.

The consulate general of Iran in Mumbai said in a post, “Iran FM Abbas Araghchi: We permitted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly nations, including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan.”

Also Read: Trump Claims Iran Agrees to Abandon Nuclear Weapons Amid Escalating Conflict

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran threatens to create a global energy crisis, with oil prices already soaring and shortages being reported from several countries. As the Strait of Hormuz turns out to be a point of contention between the US and Iran, it also found mention in Tehran’s demands to end the hostilities. The demands were posed by Iran in response to US President Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan.

Among several demands, Tehran also wants international recognition and guarantees of Iran’s rights to exercise its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Trump had claimed that he and ‘Ayatollah’ would control the Strait of Hormuz together, a claim snubbed by Iran.

The government says Indian vessels safe amid raging war

The Ministry of Shipping on Tuesday assured that all Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe amid global concerns over energy supply disruptions.

Speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, special secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, Rajesh Sinha, said two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, have already safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are en route to India.

“All Indian ships and sailors in the Gulf region are safe. No maritime incidents have been reported in the last 24 hours. Late last evening, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, were both loaded with LPG. Both vessels safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are headed towards India,” said Sinha.

Calls to open Strait of Hormuz

World bodies, including the United Nations, have been calling for opening Hormuz as fuel prices are surging globally. Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, said that the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the movement of oil, gas & fertilizer at a ‘critical moment in the global planting season.’

“Across the region & beyond, civilians are enduring serious harm & living under profound insecurity. The UN is working to minimize the consequences of the war. And the best way to minimize those consequences is clear: End the war—immediately,” he said on X.

Earlier, on March 25, the Iranian mission in New York said that they will allow the passage of what it called “non-hostile vessels” through the Strait of Hormuz.

The mission announced in a post on X, “Non-hostile vessels, including those belonging to or associated with other states, may—provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations—benefit from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities.”

The Iranian Defense Council has announced that the transit of “non-hostile vessels” through the strategic Strait of Hormuz is now strictly dependent on prior “coordination with Iranian officials.”

Iran’s plan to put Hormuz under toll

Iran’s parliament is reportedly working on a draft bill to charge a fee in exchange for providing security to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The plan, according to the semi-official Fars news agency, is likely to be finalized next week. “We are pursuing a proposal in which Iran’s sovereignty, control, and oversight in the Strait of Hormuz are formally recognized in law, and through the collection of tolls, a source of revenue is also created for the country,” Fars cited a lawmaker as saying.

Follow MahaENews-X on: Follow MahaiNews on Instagram