Tehran has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran attempted a drone attack on commercial vessels carrying Indian sailors near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said the allegation was aimed at diverting global attention.
According to the report, three ships with Indian crew members were attacked in the Hormuz Strait and the Oman sea region in a series of incidents. In the Gulf of Oman, the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Setabello was hit in a missile strike by the US Navy, killing three Indian sailors.
The US Navy has acknowledged carrying out the attack. India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the US embassy’s charge d’affaires to convey its protest, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said such brutal attacks on commercial shipping cannot be justified.
Trump later alleged that Iran had tried to target the ships using drones and that the attempts were thwarted, calling Iran’s actions unacceptable. Iran rejected the charge, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that the deaths of the three Indians were the result of a “brutal” US attack and urging the international community to hold the US accountable.
Jaishankar also spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, registering a strong objection and reiterating that attacks on innocent sailors and the resulting loss of life are unacceptable and cannot be defended.
