Tehran/New Delhi, March 26 Iran has allowed India and several other "friendly nations," including China and Russia, to use the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran essentially blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
West Asia has been a major source of energy procurement for India.
"We have permitted certain countries that we consider friendly to transit (through) the Strait of Hormuz. We have allowed China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan to transit," Araghchi said, according to Iranian State TV.
At the same time, the Iranian foreign minister made it clear that ships linked to Iran's adversaries will not be allowed to transit through the strategic waterway.
"We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others," he said.
Referring to reported efforts by some third countries to act as intermediaries towards ending the conflict, he said: "No negotiations with the US are underway," he said elsewhere in the interview, adding that many foreign ministers from the region have contacted Tehran, but Iran's position has remained principled and firm," MEHR News Agency reported.
"International guarantees are not 100 per cent reliable," he added.
"Through the inherent guarantee that we created ourselves, no one will dare again to go to war with the Iranian people," he said.
There have been growing global concerns over disruptions in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump warning Iran of severe consequences if it does not fully reopen the waterway.
In the last couple of weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts focused on ending the conflict in West Asia as soon as possible and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
New Delhi believes that there could be serious ramifications for fuel and fertilizer security for many countries, including India, if the shipping lane remains blocked.