Tehran, June 12 (IANS) Iran on Friday condemned the US attacks on commercial vessels with Indian crew members, which resulted in the death of three Indian nationals, terming the incidents as “clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and state piracy”.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei offered condolences to the families of the deceased Indian sailors and urged the international community to hold the US accountable for its “lawless conduct”.

“The brutal US attacks on Indian commercial vessels, which have killed at least three Indian nationals, stand as clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy. We extend our sympathies to the families and friends of the slain Indian sailors and offer our sincere condolences to the Indian people and government,” Baqaei posted on X.

“The international community must hold the United States accountable for its lawless conduct, which continues to threaten global peace and security while endangering the freedom of navigation,” he added.

Iran’s statement comes after an attack was reported on a commercial vessel, Settebello, off the coast of Oman on Wednesday. Of the 24 Indian crew members onboard the vessel, 21 were rescued while three others were killed.

Meanwhile, India said on Thursday that it has lodged a “strong protest” with the American side, conveying its deepest concerns about the ongoing attacks by the US Navy on ships with Indian seafarers in West Asia in the last few days.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia in New Delhi on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for an end to such attacks and stated that India attaches great importance to the welfare and well-being of the Indian seafarers’ community.

“There have been several incidents involving Indian seafarers in West Asia in the last few days. We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafarers’ community. We need not re-emphasise this point. Yesterday, we condemned the attack on a ship off the coast of Oman in which, unfortunately, we lost three Indian nationals. We had summoned the US CDA (Charge d’Affaires) here to register a strong protest. The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. These attacks must cease and end. We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace and stability in the region,” he said.

“We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community. As you know, we have a large seafaring community which is spread across the world. We also have a large number of seafarers who are there in the Persian Gulf and in West Asia, and we are in touch with them through our Embassy and through the Ministry of Shipping to ensure their welfare and well-being,” he said.

Jaiswal also said that the three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign-flagged — two of them Palau-flagged, and the third Guinea-flagged — and not Indian-owned ships.

–IANS

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