India Condemns Targeting of Commercial Shipping in Strait of Hormuz at UN

India's UN envoy Parvathaneni Harish condemned targeting commercial shipping and impeding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as unacceptable. He emphasized the need for short-term and structural measures with international cooperation to address the energy and fertilizer crisis. Iran announced a new mechanism to manage maritime traffic in the Strait, allowing only cooperating vessels. Meanwhile, US President Trump warned of consequences if no peace deal is reached, as Iran accused the US of being the main obstacle to peace.

Key Points: India Slams Strait of Hormuz Shipping Threats at UN

  • India condemns threats to commercial shipping in Strait of Hormuz
  • Harish calls for international cooperation on energy crisis
  • Iran announces new mechanism to manage Strait traffic
  • US warns of consequences if peace deal fails
3 min read

Targeting commercial shipping, impeding navigation in Strait of Hormuz unacceptable: India's Permanent Representative at UN

India's UN envoy calls targeting commercial shipping & impeding navigation in Strait of Hormuz unacceptable amid West Asia crisis.

"Targeting of commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable. - Parvathaneni Harish"

New York, May 17

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Parvathaneni Harish outlined India's approach towards tackling the ongoing energy and fertiliser crisis amid the conflict in West Asia, stressing the need for a combination of short-term and long-term measures backed by international cooperatioHarish said he participated in the Special Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on safeguarding energy and supply flows. He emphasised that a mix of immediate and structural measures, along with international cooperation, would be essential to effectively respond to the crisis. Harish also reiterated India's concerns over disruptions to maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Shared India's approach to the recent energy and fertiliser crisis in light of the West Asia conflict at the Special Meeting of the UNECOSOC on Safeguarding energy and supply flows. A combination of short-term and structural measures alongside international cooperation are essential to respond to the crisis. Reiterated that targeting of commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable. International law in this regard must be fully respected," Harish wrote on 'X'

This comes after Iran announced a "professional mechanism" to regulate maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz through a designated route, which will be unveiled soon.

In a post on X, Iranian Parliament's NSC chief Ebrahim Azizi said that the proposed mechanism has been developed within the framework of Iran's national sovereignty and with the aim of ensuring the security of international trade. He further stated that only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran would be permitted to benefit from the mechanism. Azizi also said that the proposed route would remain closed to operators associated with the so-called "freedom project."

"Iran, within the framework of its national sovereignty and the guarantee of international trade security, has prepared a professional mechanism to manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route, which will be unveiled soon. In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it. The necessary fees will be collected for the specialized services provided under this mechanism. This route will remain closed to the operators of the so-called 'freedom project'," said the 'X' post from Azizi.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump warned of "very bad time" if any peace deal to end the West Asia crisis is not reached, Al Jazeera reported, while quoting local French broadcaster BFMTV.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that the United States remains the primary barrier to peace in West Asia. Araghchi claimed that after more than a month of failed military objectives, the US attempted to pivot toward dialogue, a move met with deep-seated scepticism in Tehran.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi following a meeting of the BRICS Foreign Ministers, the Iranian Foreign Minister laid bare the trust deficit defining the current geopolitical standoff."Now, after 40 days of war, when the US became hopeless of achieving any goal in their aggression against Iran, they offered negotiation... We have no trust in Americans... This is the main obstacle in the way of any diplomatic effort. We have every reason not to trust Americans, while they have no reason not to trust us," he stated.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Honestly, this 'freedom project' terminology feels like another geopolitical power play. Iran wants to control the strait, US wants to dominate—India getting caught in the middle. Our diplomats have to tread carefully, but at least they're highlighting the real issue: civilian crew safety and global trade flow.
A
Arjun K
I'm no fan of unilateral actions, but let's be real—Iran has legitimate security concerns after years of being squeezed by sanctions. However, charging fees and picking who gets to pass? That's just asking for trouble. India should push for a neutral, UN-supervised navigation agreement instead of picking sides.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see India taking a clear line here. The Iranian proposal sounds like a money-making scheme wrapped in security language. International law exists for a reason—no country gets to decide who uses international waters. Good on India for calling this out at the UN.
N
Neha E
The energy and fertilizer crisis hits Indian farmers hard. We can't afford games in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's 'mechanism' sounds like a toll booth for strategic extortion. India needs to build stronger alliances with Gulf nations to diversify supply routes—don't put all eggs in one basket.
V
Vikram M
Both sides are playing dangerous games. Iran's trust issues with US are understandable given history, but punishing neutral shipping isn't the answer. India's balanced approach—respecting sovereignty while upholding international norms—is the way forward. Hope our diplomacy can de-escalate this soon.
<

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50