A Gujarat-bound cargo ship was among two vessels attacked and seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday, hours after US President Donald Trump extended the two-week fragile ceasefire. The incident is bound to escalate tensions between Iran and India after two India-flagged ships attempting to cross Hormuz, a vital energy corridor, were attacked last week.
The two ships – Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Liberia-flagged Epaminodes – are now in IRGC custody and have been taken to Iran, Iranian state television reported. A third vessel – Greek-owned Euphoria – was also targeted and is now stranded along Iran’s shores.
SHIP WAS ON WAY TO MUNDRA PORT
Maritime traffic data shows Epaminondas was headed towards Mundra Port in Gujarat. It was coming from Dubai. The Iranian navy stated that the vessels did not have “required authorisation” and “manipulated navigation systems”, endangering maritime safety.
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said three merchant ships came under fire in Hormuz, which has effectively been under Iran’s control since the start of the war. Iran’s chokehold on the waterway has crippled oil supplies and sent crude prices soaring.
One of the ships suffered damage to its bridge (the central command centre) after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, Reuters reported. The crew, however, did not suffer any injuries.
The development is likely a tit-for-tat move after the US Marines recently boarded and seized two Iranian-flagged cargo ships near the Gulf of Oman as part of its naval blockade.
The US blockade of ships entering and exiting Iranian ports has become the latest bone of contention, with Tehran making its withdrawal a prerequisite for any peace talks. However, Trump made it clear that the naval blockade would continue. It is designed to strangle Iran’s oil revenues and collapse its economy.
2 INDIAN VESSELS ATTACKED LAST WEEK
The development comes days after two Indian vessels, Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, came under fire from the Iranian navy despite Tehran’s assurance that ships of five “friendly” nations wouldn’t be targeted.
Jag Arnav, an India-flagged bulk carrier, was travelling from Saudi Arabia to India. Sanmar Herald, meanwhile, was transporting oil from Iraq to India. In April, around 10 Indian vessels transited the corridor.
The incident raised questions of who is calling the shots in Iran. Several reports have suggested that the powerful IRGC was pulling the strings and had sidelined the political leadership.
The attack prompted India to summon the Iranian envoy and flag its “deep concern” over the incident.
Article source: indiatoday.in
