The Union government on Wednesday firmly dismissed reports suggesting that Indian vessels made payments, either in cash or cryptocurrency, to Iran to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Officials termed such claims as baseless amid heightened tensions in the strategically vital region. The clarification follows an incident on April 18, when two India-flagged vessels were forced to retreat after Iranian forces opened fire as they attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The development triggered concern within maritime circles and raised questions about safety in one of the world’s busiest energy routes.
An audio clip that surfaced from the Indian tanker Sanmar Herald captured the captain urging Iranian forces to stop firing despite prior clearance. “This is motor vessel, Sanmar Herald. You gave me clearance to go, my name is second on your list… You are firing now. Let me turn back.”
Govt calls crypto scam reports ‘fake news’
Amid speculation linking the incident to a cryptocurrency scam, the government categorically denied any such connection. Reports had suggested that fraudsters were offering fake safe passage deals to shipowners in exchange for crypto payments. Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, rejected these claims. “News is spreading about a reported payment by the captain of the vessel Sanmar Herald in US dollar to persons claiming to represent the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy to grant passage, and fell victim to cyber criminals. We spoke with the owner of the vessel, and he confirmed that it is fake news and no such incident had happened,” he added.
He reiterated that there is no verified information indicating any payment by Indian vessels for safe passage. “As we have been telling in past also, we do not have any new data, any confirmation on any of our vessels has paid money to any of the authorities for this purpose,” Mangal added.
Shipping firm also denies allegations
Chennai-based Sanmar Shipping also issued a statement rejecting the claims. “It has come to our attention that there have been reports on social media about Sanmar Shipping’s very large crude carrier, Sanmar Herald, flying the Indian flag, falling prey to a cryptocurrency scam. We would like to clarify that these reports are completely false,” the statement read. The company said it is working closely with Indian authorities to ensure safe navigation of its vessels.
ALSO READ:ย Trump on Iran peace talks: ‘Good news about a second round of talks may come as soon as Friday’