New Delhi, May 7: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday that 11 Indian ships have successfully exited the Hormuz Strait due to ongoing diplomatic negotiations with Iran.
During a weekly press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that progress is being made in discussions with Iran, and the ministry is in continuous contact with Iranian officials.
“We are seeing progress, and thanks to these diplomatic talks and communication with Iran, 11 Indian ships have now left the Hormuz Strait. Currently, 13 ships remain in the Persian Gulf. We are in touch with Iranian authorities to ensure that the remaining vessels can also safely navigate through the Hormuz Strait back to India, their final destination,” he said.
Reports indicate that the Hormuz Strait is moving towards reopening. On Wednesday, signals from both the United States and Iran suggested that restrictions on this vital maritime route may be lifted.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday evening that he would like to temporarily ease restrictions to see if a deal could be reached with Iran. Following this, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Wednesday that it would allow ships to pass through the route.
The IRGC claimed that U.S. threats have been rendered ‘ineffective.’
Trump warned on Wednesday morning that if Iran did not lift restrictions on this maritime route, he could escalate military actions.
Iran had closed the route after Israel and the U.S. launched a military operation against it on February 28. This route is crucial, as approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas passes through it.
Subsequently, the U.S. imposed its own restrictions on Iranian ports on April 13, following a sudden breakdown in negotiations between the two nations.
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