Iran has permitted Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, even as tensions rise due to the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. Sources said the clearance followed sustained engagement by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with his Iranian counterpart.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime route through which around 20% of global crude oil trade moves. Iran had earlier restricted movement through the strait as pressure mounted in the conflict, leaving several countries’ vessels, including Indian ships, held up in the Gulf region and triggering concerns over oil and gas availability.
In India, reports of gas shortages emerged in multiple states. In Chennai, many restaurants reportedly shut for a day and some switched to firewood stoves, while opposition parties pressed the Centre to address the situation. The Union government had maintained that adequate reserves were available and that a broader fuel shortage would not occur.
Against this backdrop, Jaishankar is said to have spoken three times by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Based on bilateral ties, Iran reportedly granted passage specifically to Indian vessels.
Two Indian cargo ships—Pushpak and Parimal—have since crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The report added that similar clearance was not extended to the US, the European Union and Israel, and that the move improves prospects for uninterrupted supplies of petrol, diesel and gas in India.
