'All vessels should comply with US blockade in Strait of Hormuz': Marco Rubio tells Jaishankar after death of 3 Indian sailors
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that all commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz will have to comply with the US blockade. The move comes after India condemned the killings of three of its nationals in the most recent attack.
Marco Rubio with S Jaishankar. ANI
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday urged all commercial vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz to immediately comply with US directives while holding a conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, reported news agency PTI.
"Violations of US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated," Rubio told Jaishankar. Rubio conveyed this to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman.
"The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
Rubio underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, Pigott said in a statement here.
"Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified," Jaishankar said in a post on X after he spoke with Rubio.
Three vessels with Indian crew came under attack off the Oman coast this week. One of them resulted in the death of three Indian seafarers on Wednesday.
Amid escalating tensions around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, three Indian-crewed vessels were reportedly targeted near Oman this week. The attacks claimed the lives of three Indian sailors, after which India registered a strong protest with the US.
On Friday, India summoned the most senior American diplomat in New Delhi for the second time this week to protest attacks by US forces on merchant vessels in West Asia.
CDA Jason Meeks was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs where K Nagaraj Naidu, Additional Secretary (Americas division), conveyed India's concerns. The MEA, which usually doesn't use the word "summoning" for calling in foreign diplomats, said in a statement, "The US Charge d'Affaires, Mr Jason Meeks, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today. A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives."
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