Iranian warship confronts Indian oil tanker attempting to transit Hormuz: Report
An Iranian warship warned and deterred the Indian oil tanker HAANA on the southern Strait of Hormuz route, according to Fars. The reported encounter came as Iran-US tensions continued to disrupt shipping through the strategic waterway.
Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have intensified over a continuing standoff between Iran and the United States that has severely disrupted commercial shipping through the strategic waterway. Against this backdrop, an Iranian warship confronted an Indian oil tanker attempting to transit the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Fars news agency reported.
The tanker, HAANA, was attempting to pass through the southern route, known as the "Oman corridor", when it was warned by a "large Iranian warship" and subsequently deterred, Fars reported.
The agency said no traffic had been observed on the southern route in the previous 24 hours. The report has not been independently confirmed by Iranian or Indian authorities.
IRAN, US BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF HORMUZ
The confrontation happened amid a battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman negotiate arrangements for shipping through the strait, which carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February. Most commercial traffic has since been halted, putting pressure on energy markets and global shipping.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday that Tehran and Muscat had reached an understanding on their respective shares of the waterway and its revenues. But a senior Iranian source later told news agency Reuters that the agreement had not been finalised and that talks were continuing over its details.
Oman has separately said the two sides discussed a temporary navigational corridor and arrangements to clear mines from the waterway.
IRAN LINKS REOPENING TO US CONDITIONS
Tehran has also made clear that an Oman agreement alone will not guarantee the reopening of Hormuz.
"If the United States stops obstructing and returns to the agreement, we can open the Strait of Hormuz within the framework of the agreement reached ... If the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened under any circumstances," IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said.
Iran has demanded an end to the US blockade of its ports, compensation and the removal of sanctions as part of the conditions for reopening the waterway.