Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticized the United States on Saturday for its changing stance on Russian oil, saying Washington was now “begging” countries around the world – including India – to buy Russian oil, despite previously pressing them to stop such imports.
In a post on X, Araghchi said: “The US has spent months bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, the White House is now begging the world – including India – to buy Russian oil.”
Iran’s foreign minister also criticized European countries for supporting an “illegal war” against Iran, saying they expected American support against Russia in return.
“Europe thought that supporting an illegal war against Iran would get US support against Russia. Pathetic,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iran has allowed two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to transit through the Strait of Hormuz amid conflict in the Middle East region, Reuters reported, citing four sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Reuters, citing two sources and shipping data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, said the oil tanker carrying Saudi crude was due to arrive in India on Saturday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz around March 1.
Earlier, Mohammad Fathali, Iran’s ambassador to India, said Iran would ensure safe passage for India-bound vessels through the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing tensions in West Asia, stressing the long-standing friendship and common interests between the two nations.
Asked whether Iran would allow ships bound for India to pass safely through the strait, which is one of the critical routes for global energy trade, Fathali said: “Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see the future and I think after two or three hours. Because we believe that. We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests, we have a common destiny.”
Emphasizing the mutual responsibility between the two nations, he added, “The suffering of the Indian people is our suffering and vice versa. And for this reason the Government of India is helping us and we should help the Government of India because we have a common destiny and a common interest.”
The US attacked an island in the Persian Gulf
US strikes on Iran’s Kharg island in the Persian Gulf have targeted military sites but left its oil infrastructure alone for now, Trump said in a social media post.
But he warned that if Iran or anyone else interfered with the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, they would reconsider their decision “not to wipe out the oil infrastructure.”
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned in a social media post on Thursday that attacks on islands on Iran’s southern maritime borders would cause Iran to “abandon all restrictions”, stressing how crucial they are to the country’s economy and security.
(With input from agencies)
