India summons Iranian diplomat after Indian sailor killed in Hormuz strikes

PTC News Desk: India has summoned Iran's Deputy Ambassador to the Ministry of External Affairs after an Iranian missile strike on two UAE-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz killed one Indian crew member and injured eight others, government sources said on Monday.

The move comes a day after the UAE said Iranian cruise missiles hit the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in Omani territorial waters. The attack killed one Indian sailor and injured eight others, including six Indians and two Ukrainians. Four of the injured remain in critical condition.

India called in Iran's Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, and other Iranian diplomats to express its concerns and seek an explanation over the attack.

Following the strike, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) again accused the United States of directing commercial ships through what it called an "illegal route" near the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC claimed the route was dangerous and alleged that mines had been laid in those waters.

Following the attacks, the Ministry of External Affairs called for immediate de-escalation and said the repeated incidents were "deeply worrisome."

"We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region," the MEA said.

"The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest," it said.