NEW DELHI, March 16 (Reuters) – Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February as part of talks on safe passage for Indian-flagged or India-bound vessels from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Indian authorities have seized three Iran-linked tankers near Indian waters, alleging they had concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea.
Tehran also sought supplies of certain drugs and medical equipment, according to one of the sources, an Iranian official.
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Iran’s ambassador in Delhi met with Indian foreign ministry officials on Monday to discuss the issue, the source said.
The sources declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
India’s foreign ministry, Iran’s embassy in Delhi and Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Iran recently allowed two Indian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers to pass through the strait, and one of them returned to western India on Monday, according to Indian officials. Since the start of the Iran war, traffic on both sides of the strait has come to a near standstill.
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Asked on Monday about negotiations to ensure navigation for Indian vessels, foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the recent moves reflected “a history of engagement, engagement”.
He said on the daily news that nothing is being exchanged.
Since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, Tehran has responded with attacks across the region, including attacks on ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, killing three Indian sailors and leaving one missing.
India said on Monday that at least 22 Indian-flagged vessels and 611 Indian sailors remained in the Persian Gulf.
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An Indian source said the six vessels were loaded with LPG and the country wanted them to sail through first to ease the shortage of cooking fuel. About 90% of India’s total LPG imports come from the Persian Gulf.
TANKER LINKED TO IRAN AROUND OFF BOMBAY
Indian authorities seized the tankers Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia and Stellar Ruby, alleging that they had concealed or altered their identities and movements and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
The Stellar Ruby sails under the flag of Iran, while the other two vessels are under the flags of Nicaragua and Mali.
A police complaint filed by the Indian Coast Guard on February 15 and seen by Reuters said Asphalt Star was involved in the smuggling of heavy fuel oil, which was transported to Al Jafzia, and bitumen to Stellar Ruby. All three are currently docked off Mumbai.
Around the time of the seizure, Iranian state media quoted the National Iranian Oil Company as saying that the three seized tankers had no connection to the company.
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Jugwinder Singh Brar, who the United States accuses of running a fleet of ships that helps transport Iranian oil, said he was an adviser to all three ships seized by India and that they had done nothing wrong.
“We were transporting bitumen and there is nothing illegal about it. My ships were there for 40 days and I faced losses,” he told Reuters by telephone, adding that he was not aware of any dealings regarding the tankers.
(Reporting by Saurabh Sharma and Krishna N. Das in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Hritam Mukherjee and Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Jason Neely)
Disclaimer: This story was published from the agency’s news feed without editing the text.
