Iranian navy guided Indian tanker through Hormuz Strait last week: Report

ISTANBUL

The Iranian Navy guided an Indian liquefied petroleum gas tanker through the Strait of Hormuz last week, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.

The vessel was allowed passage along a pre-approved route following diplomatic engagement by India, the media outlet reported, citing an anonymous senior officer onboard.

During the crossing, the officer said his ship maintained radio contact with the Iranian navy.

Iran then guided the vessel along an agreed-upon route after gathering information such as its flag, name, origin and destination ports, and the crew's nationality, all of whom were Indian.

After being anchored in the Persian Gulf for about 10 days, the tanker was granted permission to transit on the night of March 13, Bloomberg reported, adding that the officer declined to provide specific details about the route.

They traveled with their automatic identification system, or AIS, turned off, according to the officer and Bloomberg's analysis of AIS data. The system was turned back on after the ship entered the Gulf of Oman.

The officer said the ship was unable to use GPS, with navigation systems facing widespread interference since the conflict began.

The passage took hours longer than usual due to the disruption.

The tanker was met by Indian Navy ships on the far side of the strait for escort.

Two Indian ships sailed the strait so far.

Regional tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks across the region, effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz to most ships, a critical oil transit route that handles approximately 20 million barrels per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade.