Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: US envoy to India Sergio Gor on Friday expressed concern over rising tensions at the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that India is “vital partner” for the United States in helping keep global oil prices stable as the Middle East conflict intensifies.Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Gor said, “Today we’re in a situation where, unfortunately, Iran is trying to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians are recklessly targeting commercial vessels, including Indians who have unfortunately lost their lives through Iranian missiles and drones in the last few days, as recently as yesterday. And so it’s we’re frankly in a different environment.””And so today India understands this. India’s a vital partner to us to ensure that these prices remain stable around the world,” Gor said.
“And so frankly we appreciate India working with the United States and the global community in ensuring that the price of oil remains stable around the world,” he added.These remarks come as Iran has tightened restrictions on vessels passing through the key shipping corridor amid ongoing US–Israeli strikes. Tehran has said ships not serving the interests of the United States and Israel would be allowed to pass safely.US warns against IranGor also reiterated the stance of US President Donald Trump against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, accusing Tehran of expanding attacks across the region after the US entered the conflict.“The President’s been very clear that we cannot have a nuclear Iran. And what you’ve seen now is on day one after the United States got involved in this conflict, the first thing Iran did is strike every one of their neighbours, left, right, up and down,” he said.“And so there was not one person in the Gulf who has avoided this reckless and very dangerous and deadly behaviour, but they’ve expanded beyond that. They’re hitting Azerbaijan, they’re hitting Turkey. That’s not somebody who’s stable,” the US envoy said.“Now imagine if that individual had a nuclear bomb. And so I think what the President is doing is bringing stability not just there, but to the whole region and frankly to the whole world,” he added.Meanwhile, Iran’s military headquarters, Khatam al-Anbiya, warned of severe retaliation if its energy infrastructure is targeted in US–Israeli strikes.“The slightest attack on #Iran’s energy infrastructure and ports will result in our crushing and devastating response. In the event of such an attack, all the oil and gas infrastructure in the region, in which the United States and its Western allies have interests, will be set on fire and destroyed,” An Iranian military spokesperson said.Earlier, Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei suggested that blocking the Strait of Hormuz could remain a strategic pressure tactic.“Dear fighter brothers! The desire of the masses of the people is the continuation of effective and regret-inducing defence. Furthermore, the leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used,” he said in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television.
