The government on Tuesday (March 17) refuted media reports which claimed that Iran has asked India to release three tankers earlier seized by New Delhi in exchange for safe passage of India-flagged or India-bound ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently choked with the Islamic Republic’s war against the US and Israel.
The remarks come a day after a Reuters report, quoting sources, stated that the three tankers- Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia and Stellar Ruby- were earlier seized by India on charges of concealing or altering their identities and being involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea.
MEA calls report ‘baseless’
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dubbed the reports as “baseless”, stating that no such discussions have taken place between New Delhi and Tehran. He further stated that the three vessels are neither not Iranian owned nor are they Iranian ships.
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“There has been discussion of this nature. The three vessels are, anyway, not Iranian-owned, nor are there any Iranian vessels,” said Jaiswal.
Talks to bring back Indian ships
Elaborating further, the MEA spokesperson stated that many Indian ships are still stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, and there are plans to hold talks with the Iranian authorities and other countries to ensure the safe return of the vessels.
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“We are in talks with Iran and other countries. As our Special Secretary mentioned, many ships are still there in the Strait of Hormuz area. It is our intention to work with Iran and other countries to bring those ships back home safely. This is our objective. Discussions are ongoing on this issue. Regarding humanitarian aid, we are in talks with Iran on a number of issues,” said Jaiswal as quoted by the Hindustan Times.
Nanda Devi reaches Vadinar
Amid continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following the exchange of drones and missiles between the US, Israel, and Iran, Indian LPG carrier Nanda Devi on Tuesday reached Vadinar port in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas for a ship-to-ship transfer at anchorage.
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The development comes days after the government stated that two Indian-flagged LPG vessels—Nanda Devi and Shivalik—had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and were expected to arrive in India within a week. While Nanda Devi dropped anchor on Tuesday, Shivalik had already reached Indian shores on Monday.
With the return of the two vessels, the number of Indian-flagged ships still in the Persian Gulf now stands at 22, with 611 seafarers on board, as per figures shared by the government on Saturday.
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