New Delhi: India Tuesday called for an “immediate cessation” of hostilities and “targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians” as well as pressed for free and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable. We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians. India continues to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation, so that peace and stability may be restored across West Asia,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
“We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues.”
The statement comes after an attack on Fujairah on Monday late evening by Iranian drones left three Indians “moderately injured”, according to the UAE’s Ministry of Defence. Around 19 missiles and drones were launched from Iran, Abu Dhabi said in a statement. At least eight Indians, including mariners, have lost their lives since February.
The attacks were the first since a fragile US-Iran ceasefire was announced on 8 April. While neither side has claimed an end to the ceasefire following the latest strikes, it has, however, pushed the situation in West Asia towards the edge.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the American military destroyed seven speedboats linked to the Iranian armed forces Monday.
Fujairah is the only operating oil export zone for the UAE. The attacks came after the US launched ‘Project Freedom’ using guided missile destroyers to aid merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
At least two US-flagged ships made it through the Strait Monday, according to a statement by the American Central Command. Maersk, the Danish shipping company, announced that one of its US-flagged vessels had been successfully guided through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, in response to Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade and closure of the Strait has led to a second round of negotiations failing to materialise in Islamabad. Iran has maintained that it will not participate in direct negotiations until the blockade is lifted.
The two countries had met for a round of negotiations in Islamabad on 11 April, three-days after the ceasefire was first announced.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a statement late Monday evening made it clear that the ongoing events in Hormuz, is proof that “there is no military solution to a political crisis.”
“As talks are making progress with Pakistan’s gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into a quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock,” he added in a statement on the social media platform X.
The conflict, which began following the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran at the end of February, has now dragged on for over two months. It has severely impacted global energy markets, as roughly a fifth of world’s energy supplies transit through the Strait of Hormuz annually.
For India, the Gulf countries are key to the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). A number of Indian ships have been able to transit the Strait following negotiations between New Delhi and Tehran.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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