Can Indian Tankers Safely Pass Through the Strait of Hormuz?
An Indian government source revealed that they have obtained Iran's consent, allowing oil tankers flying the Indian flag to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran immediately denied it, stating there was no such thing at all.
According to Reuters, India is extremely dependent on Middle Eastern oil exports. Due to this round of warfare in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf shipping route was closed, and India's oil imports were once in short supply. Finally, India received a "temporary exemption" from the United States and hurriedly requested oil tankers carrying Russian crude oil that were stranded near Indian waters to enter the port. Overall, restoring the navigation of the Persian Gulf route remains highly important for India.
On March 12, an anonymous Indian government source suddenly stated that they had reached an agreement with Iran, allowing the latter to allow Indian oil tankers to safely enter and exit the Strait of Hormuz. However, the Indian government has not confirmed this news, only stating that the foreign ministers of the two countries have had three phone calls recently. At the same time, Iranian internal sources also denied this arrangement.
However, people have been paying close attention to whether oil tankers related to India can indeed safely pass through the Persian Gulf route. Recently, one oil tanker carrying Saudi crude oil, the "Shenlong", successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz and arrived at Mumbai port. This is the first crude oil transport ship to arrive in India from the Middle East since the outbreak of the conflict.
In addition to the "Shenlong", Indian sources indicated that there are two more oil tankers bound for India that have also crossed the Strait of Hormuz recently. However, due to the chaotic situation, Reuters stated that it is currently impossible to clarify whether India and Iran have privately reached an agreement.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859540841085962/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.