Indian source says Iran to allow India-flagged tankers through Hormuz as first tanker arrives

Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 40 per cent of the South Asian nation’s crude imports, an Indian government source said on March 12, but an Iranian source outside the country denied any such deal was reached. India’s Foreign Ministry and Iran’s embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Indian source, who was briefed on the matter, declined to be identified, citing a lack of authorisation to speak to the media, while the Iranian source said the matter was a sensitive one.

The Indian source said two foreign-flagged tankers believed to be bound for India had recently transited the strait, and that Iran had given assurances of safe passage for India-flagged vessels after the foreign ministers of both countries spoke by telephone late on March 10. In a statement after the talks between India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart, Mr Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the United States should be held accountable for the “insecure situation and problems arising for shipping in the Persian Gulf”.

Neither side mentioned any agreement on allowing safe passage for Indian vessels. On March 11, India said 28 India-flagged vessels were operating west and east of the strait with 778 Indian sailors aboard. “Authorities, ship managers and recruitment agencies are coordinating closely with Indian embassies and local authorities to ensure safety and provide assistance to Indian seafarers,” the Indian Petroleum Ministry said in a statement.

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India has given safe harbour to 183 Iranian sailors from a vessel that docked after the war broke out between Iran and the US and Israel. New Delhi had allowed three Iranian ships that departed following a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal to dock, but one was later sunk by a US submarine in international waters, and another sought assistance from Sri Lanka.

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