Exclusive: Iran Assures Safety of Indian Vessels in Hormuz, Points Finger at Washington

In an exclusive interaction with Times Now on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Delhi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi gave a key assurance for India — stating that Tehran has always ensured the safety of Indian vessels, including commercial ships, despite ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Indian ships have been attacked during the US-Iran conflict, and the country's seafarers have been abducted by pirates. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for keeping the sea routes safe for seafarers, highlighting their critical contribution to global trade, proposing a 'Seafarers' Emergency Support Network' as part of his broader address at the 18th BRICS Summit.

Asked directly whether Iran would guarantee the safety of Indian seafarers, Gharibabadi said Iran has never compromised on protecting Indian vessels passing through the strait, even amid the broader crisis in the region. He was careful to clarify that the instability in the Strait of Hormuz is not a result of Iran's own policies, but stems from what he called foreign aggression and attacks against the Islamic Republic.

"We have always ensured safety of Indian vessels even commercial vessels despite the problems in the Strait. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz isn’t because of Iran’s policies but because of aggression against Iran," Gharibabadi told Times Now.

WATCH FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

https://youtu.be/kHsxcQ_w8v4?si=rTG9ypPde5iBZS1S

The Deputy FM revealed that Iran and Oman have worked out a new modality aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz fully — but said its success now hinges on Washington. According to Gharibabadi, the United States had agreed to certain commitments as part of this arrangement, but Tehran claims the US is now going back on its word, effectively stalling the de-escalation process. "Iran and Oman have agreed on a new modality to open the strait but it depends on the commitments by the US which was greed by US but they are going back on their commitments," he said.

On the sidelines of the summit, Gharibabadi also spoke about the BRICS Declaration, noting that while there were initial differences among some ministers in Delhi over the text, all member states ultimately came together to back it. He credited India and Prime Minister Modi for steering what he called a "very, very successful" summit, and pointed out that the declaration itself condemns the aggression and instability plaguing the region — a reflection, he said, of BRICS's shared interest in regional peace and tranquility.

On whether the summit or India could play a role in ending the wider conflict, Gharibabadi struck a measured note — pointing to the declaration as a marker of intent, while emphasising that BRICS remains a significant grouping of major powers, from founding members like India, China and Russia to newer entrants such as Iran.