New Delhi Summons Iranian Diplomat and Protests the Death of an Indian Sailor in the Strait of Hormuz

New Delhi summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador on Tuesday to protest the death of an Indian sailor in the Strait of Hormuz.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced that it had lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Iran after summoning the Iranian deputy ambassador in New Delhi following the death of an Indian sailor in the Strait of Hormuz.

The ministry stated that the deceased sailor was among the 46 crew members aboard the vessels Al Bahiyah and Mombasa, including 30 Indian nationals, which came under attack while transiting the shipping lane through the strait.

India expressed its “deep concern” over the attacks, stating that assaults targeting commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure in the region “must come to an end.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence announced that two Emirati oil tankers had been struck by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern section of the Strait of Hormuz within Oman’s territorial waters.

The attack resulted in the death of one Indian crew member aboard the tanker Mombasa and left eight others injured, including four who sustained serious injuries. The injured included six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals.

The strikes also caused significant material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. The fires were subsequently brought under control on both vessels.

The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned and denounced what it described as Iran’s aggressive attacks.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Iranian attack constituted a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, which emphasizes freedom of navigation and rejects attacks against commercial vessels or any disruption of international maritime routes.

The ministry further stressed that targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of pressure or economic coercion amounts to acts of piracy and represents a direct threat to regional stability, the safety of its peoples, and global energy security.

The United Arab Emirates called on Iran to immediately halt these aggressive attacks, fully comply with the cessation of all hostile actions, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz completely and unconditionally in order to safeguard regional security and ensure the stability of the global economy and international trade.