Iran Allows Some Indian Vessels to Transit Strait of Hormuz
Iran has allowed some Indian vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite a wider blockade, according to remarks by its ambassador in New Delhi.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iran has allowed some India-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz despite an ongoing maritime blockade, Tehran’s ambassador to New Delhi said on Saturday, confirming a limited exception to restrictions that have disrupted global energy shipments.
Mohammad Fathali, Iran’s ambassador to India, said the vessels were permitted to sail through the strategic waterway, which runs along Iran’s southern coastline and serves as a critical route for international oil and gas exports. Fathali did not specify how many ships had been granted passage.
The envoy made the remarks during a public appearance at the India Today conclave in New Delhi, according to Reuters.
Iran has largely halted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign targeting Iranian sites, a development that has heightened tensions across the region and affected global energy transport routes.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime corridors. According to Reuters, approximately 20 percent of global oil shipments and seaborne liquefied natural gas supplies transit the narrow channel, which connects the Persian Gulf to international waters.
Iran’s decision to permit some Indian vessels to pass through the strait represents a limited relaxation of the restrictions that have been imposed since the escalation of hostilities. The ambassador did not provide further details about the conditions under which the ships were allowed to transit, nor did he indicate whether similar exceptions might be extended to vessels from other countries.
Shipping activity in the region has been closely monitored since Iran moved to restrict passage through the waterway, with global markets and governments tracking developments due to the strait’s central role in international energy supply chains.
Fathali’s comments marked the first public confirmation that selected vessels have been allowed to navigate the route despite the broader halt in traffic.