Washington: Violations of the US blockade of Iranian ports "will not be tolerated," US State Secretary Marco Rubio told India's top diplomat, following reports of US strikes in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals.
According to Anadolu Agency, Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in discussions with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar about recent events occurring in the Strait of Hormuz. A statement issued by the State Department on Saturday highlighted that Rubio emphasized the necessity for all commercial vessels to adhere to orders from US forces, which are tasked with maintaining peace and security in the region. He clearly communicated that any breaches of the US blockade and the illegal transportation of Iranian oil would face strict consequences.
On Friday, India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar expressed his strong protest during talks with Rubio concerning US attacks on vessels near the coast of Oman amidst the blockade. Jaishankar took to US social media platform X to voice his stance, stating, "I reiterated India's strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified."
Furthermore, on Friday, India took diplomatic action by summoning the top US diplomat in New Delhi for the second time within a week to protest the attacks, as reported by official sources to Anadolu.
In related developments, the US Central Command reported that it successfully disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer and Palau-flagged tankers M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello this week for their attempts to transport Iranian oil, in violation of the US-imposed blockade.
