Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: As conflict in West Asia disrupts narratives and navigation, Mohammad Fathali, Iran’s ambassador to India, told TOI on Saturday the war against his country was an “illegal assault built on “illusions”. Significantly, he signalled Tehran’s continued cooperation with New Delhi, including safe passage for Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Praising India’s position, he said it’s a “reflection of its understanding of regional complexities”.The envoy said: “Currently, the strait is only closed to countries that are at war with Iran. It is natural that during wartime, we will not allow our enemies to pass through our internal waters. The fact that other ships are not traveling is due to the insecurity in the region and extremely high insurance costs.”
He added that special measures had been implemented to ensure the safe passage of ships from friendly nations, including India. These are handled operationally and on a case-by-case basis, depending on real-time conditions. At the same time, he made clear that access is restricted for countries “directly or indirectly involved in the aggression” against Iran.The Iranian ambassador said Tehran remains “committed to freedom of navigation and maritime safety”, but added: “Freedom of navigation isn’t possible without due respect for the coastal state”. On disruption, insecurity and heightened risks, he said the “responsibility lies directly with the regimes of the US and Israel”, and held their actions in “direct contradiction to the UN charter”.
