New Delhi, March 15: The Iranian Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, highlighted the ‘historic relations’ between Iran and India during the annual India Today Conclave on Saturday. He confirmed that Tehran has allowed some Indian vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, although he refrained from disclosing specific operational details.
Ambassador Fathali stated, “Yes, we have granted permission, but I will not tell you how many. As the Iranian Ambassador in India, I will continue to follow this matter in the future because of the historical ties between Iran and India. Of course, as an ambassador, I have made every effort. There was a slight delay, but it happened.”
This statement comes amid reports that two Indian LPG tankers have been permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas exports pass. The two tankers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, are expected to arrive in the country shortly. These vessels belong to the Government Shipping Corporation of India Limited.
Reliable sources reported on Saturday that after the safe passage of the two LPG carriers, other tankers are lined up to cross the war-affected area.
The Iranian Ambassador also defended Tehran’s decision to target U.S. bases in several Gulf countries. He emphasized that the Tomahawk missile, which struck a girls’ school in Iran, killing nearly 170 students, was launched from a U.S. base in the region.
He remarked, “We have declared that you will not actually be touched. Your property, whatever is inside your country, but we have asked them what we should do when American Tomahawk missiles attack our schools. We respect them completely, but we will certainly target U.S. bases. It is unfortunate that we have seen attacks on these schools from missiles launched from bases in neighboring countries.”
The Ambassador stressed that Tehran has repeatedly stated its readiness for both dialogue and warfare. He stated, “We have announced many times. Iran is ready for both dialogue and war, but we prefer dialogue.”
He also mentioned a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, noting that technical difficulties during the ongoing conflict caused delays in the call.
Leave a Comment