Indian source says Iran to allow India-flagged tankers to pass through Strait of Hormuz

India has given safe harbour to 183 Iranian sailors from a vessel that docked after the war broke out. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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NEW DELHI – Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 40 per cent of the South Asian nation’s crude imports, an Indian government source said on March 12, but an Iranian source outside the country denied any such deal was reached.

India’s foreign ministry and Iran’s embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Indian source, who was briefed on the matter, declined to be identified, citing a lack of authorisation to speak to media, while the Iranian source said the matter was a sensitive one.

The Indian source said two foreign-flagged tankers believed to be bound for India had recently transited the Strait, and that Iran had given assurances of safe passage for Indian-flagged vessels after the foreign ministers of both countries spoke by telephone late on March 10.

The source said the situation remained fluid, with limited clarity on how instructions were being relayed across different layers of Iran’s administration.