Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, Iran has adopted special measures to ensure the safe passage of vessels belonging to friendly countries, including India, Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, told news agency ANI.
"Iran has adopted special measures to ensure the safe passage of ships from friendly countries, including India. Within this framework, in recent days, several Indian vessels have passed safely through the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating Iran's practical commitment to ensuring maritime security for friendly nations," Fathali said.
On the status of the Strait of Hormuz, the ambassador reiterated Iran's position on shipping safety while clarifying the legal status of the waterway. "Iran has always emphasised the importance of safety and security in international shipping routes. However, it must be noted that the Strait of Hormuz is not part of international waters; rather, it lies within the territorial and internal waters of Iran and Oman," he said. He added that, "At present, the Strait is closed only to countries that are at war with Iran," stressing again that friendly nations such as India continue to benefit from special arrangements.
On Iran's engagement with multilateral platforms during the crisis, Fathali said BRICS remains a key priority. "For the Islamic Republic of Iran, BRICS represents an important platform for expanding cooperation with emerging economies and reinforcing approaches independent of traditional global structures," he told ANI, adding that Iran wants BRICS members to condemn what it terms unlawful actions by the United States and Israel, and support international law.
India is presently holding the presidency of BRICS.
On bilateral cooperation, the ambassador described the Chabahar port as "a strategic project of regional and international importance", and said Iran remains in continuous consultation with India to ensure the project progresses "independent of external pressures."
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Fathali also welcomed New Delhi's diplomatic approach, saying, "India's call for dialogue and restraint is a commendable and responsible position."
Assuring the safety of Indian nationals in Iran, he said coordination is ongoing between Tehran and the Indian Embassy to facilitate movement or evacuation if required. He also sharply criticised remarks by US President Donald Trump, calling them reflective of "modern barbarism" and expressing concern over rhetoric that could amount to war crimes.
"We are a nation with a civilisation stretching back thousands of years, and we will never return to the 'Stone Age'. What we are witnessing today is, more than anything, reminiscent of a form of modern barbarism in the behaviour and rhetoric of individuals such as Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu... At the same time, it is regrettable that open admissions of actions that could constitute war crimes have become normalised in the rhetoric of the US President, and of course, drawing widespread reactions globally," Fathali concluded.
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