Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said that Tehran permitted the passage of vessels for ‘friendly nations,’ including India, through the Strait of Hormuz.ย Apart from India, vessels from Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iraq have also been granted safe passage through the conflict-hit maritime chokepoint.
In an interview with Iranian state television, Araghchi said that the Strait of Hormuz, which handles nearly one-fifth of global oil and gas trade, has not been completely closed, as vessels from several countries with friendly ties to Iran have been allowed to pass through.
Strait of Hormuz open for India
Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai said in a post, “Iran FM Abbas Araghchi: We permitted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly nations including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan.”
However, he affirmed that vessels from the United States, Israel, and certain Gulf nations involved in the ongoing conflict would not be granted permission to transit through the Strait.
UN calls for reopening of Hormuz
This follows comments by the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, who called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, he said, “The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the movement of oil, gas, & fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season. Across the region & beyond, civilians are enduring serious harm & living under profound insecurity. The UN is working to minimise the consequences of the war. And the best way to minimise those consequences is clear: End the war – immediately.”
Why Strait of Hormuz matter?
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. It facilitates the export of crude oil and LNG from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, and Iran itself.
Major consumers of the energy transported through this route include India, China, Japan, and South Korea. These countries together account for nearly 69 per cent of the total oil and gas shipped through the strait.
As per reports, India alone imports close to 40 per cent of its crude oil and over 54 per cent of its LNG through this narrow channel. The temporary blockade has already triggered a sharp rise in global oil prices and disrupted supply chains worldwide.
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