The Indian government on Tuesday summoned Mohammad Javad Hosseini, Iran’s deputy chief of mission in New Delhi, to register a formal protest after an Indian crew member was killed during an Iranian strike on two United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil tankers.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called in the Iranian envoy following the attack on commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime passage located near Oman, reports Times of India.
Although official details of the encounter were not released, diplomatic sources confirmed that the meeting has concluded.
The two targeted vessels, the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah, were struck while navigating the southern corridor of the Strait. This waterway is of vital global importance, as nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through it during peacetime.
The assault on the Mombasa resulted in the death of one Indian national and left eight other crew members injured. The injured include six Indians and two Ukrainians, with four individuals reported to be in serious condition.
According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, the missile strikes sparked fires and caused material damage to both tankers, though officials noted that the fires have since been contained.
With this latest fatality, the number of Indian citizens killed in the current West Asia conflict has reached 11. This follows an incident last month in which three Indian sailors lost their lives during a US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello.
