Shafaqna Pakistan: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned India’s top diplomat that violations of the US blockade on Iranian ports would not be tolerated.
According to a statement issued by the State Department on Saturday, Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during which they discussed recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement said Rubio stressed that all commercial vessels must immediately follow directives issued by US forces aimed at maintaining peace and security in the region. He further warned that any breach of the US blockade or involvement in the illegal transportation of Iranian oil would not be accepted.
Meanwhile, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had earlier stated on Friday that he raised concerns with Rubio over US strikes on vessels near the coast of Oman, carried out in connection with the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, during which three Indian nationals were reportedly killed.
“I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar wrote on US social media company X.
India on Friday also summoned the top US diplomat in New Delhi for the second time in a week to protest the attacks.
According to the US Central Command, this week it disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer and Palau-flagged tankers M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello for trying to transport Iranian oil.
Source: Dunya News
