Iran's navy has escorted an Indian tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas through the Strait of Hormuz, an agreement reached between the Indian government and Iranian officials.
This was reported by Bloomberg, citing an employee of an Indian tanker.
According to the publication, India and Iran have approved a route for Indian tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. At that time, the Iranian Navy accompanied the tanker through the strait by radio. The tanker was able to exit the strait last week.
An officer on the Indian tanker said the Iranians recorded information about the ship's flag, name, ports of departure and destination, and the nationality of the crew members, all of whom were Indian, and set them on a coordinated course.
An officer on board an Indian vessel carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) declined to give specific details of their route. The officer said they had been travelling with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off and had switched it back on after they had safely entered the Gulf of Oman. He also said the tanker was unable to use its GPS due to significant interference.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that after the completion of the US-Israeli operation against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz should be protected by the countries that use it, not the United States.
According to Trump, the United States is ready to help if requested, but once the Iranian threat is eliminated, there will be no need for this.
Iran began a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israeli military operation began. About 20% of all oil exports on the global market pass through this strait.
Israeli and US military operation against Iran
On February 28, Israel attacked the Iranian capital Tehran. US President Donald Trump later said that the US military had launched a “major combat operation” against Iran to “eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime”. He accused the Iranian government of “funding and training” militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Hamas in Palestine. According to him, the aim of the military operation is to “destroy Iran's missile industry and navy” and “ensure that the world cannot be destabilised”.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missiles and drones towards Israel, and also attacked US military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Amid the US military operation against Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris is calling for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
The European Union said it reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to ensuring regional security and stability” in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was fair to give the Iranians a chance to get rid of “the terrorist regime and guarantee the security of all peoples who have suffered from attacks from Iran.”
On February 28, Trump announced that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead, a claim later confirmed by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
On March 1, the IRGC announced that it was launching “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic” against Israel and “American terrorist bases.” Trump called on the Iranian regime to abandon these plans and threatened to strike “a very strong blow” in response.
On March 2, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the next phase of the US military operation against Iran would be even more destructive.
On March 6, Trump declared the need for a complete change in Iran's leadership, adding that he already had several candidates for the role of “a good leader.”
On March 8, Iran's Assembly of Experts elected the son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Trump declined to comment on the election of Mojtaba Khamenei, saying only: “We'll see what happens.” Before that, the American president said that the new leader of Iran “won't last long” if he doesn't receive the approval of the White House.