Iranians should “show some respect to those who have been friendly”, MP Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday, after a Thai cargo ship heading to Gujarat’s Kandla port was attacked by Tehran on Wednesday.
The ship Mayuri Nari, operated by Precious Shipping, bound for Gujarat, was hit by projectiles while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a fire and damage to the engine room.
“Indeed, a Thai ship heading to Kandla with an Indian crew on board was hit twice… The Iranians should show some respect to those who were friendly and reasonable with them,” Tharoor was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.
He also stressed that the problem with the current conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran is that “people are being dragged into this, not their war.”
Read also: Three crew members missing and Iranian guard says we hit it: Attack on Thai ship “Mayuri Nari” bound for India in Strait of Hormuz
India condemned the attack on the Thai ship
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs also condemned the attack on the Thai ship Mayuri Nare, saying that “India regrets” the targeting of commercial ships in the conflict in West Asia.
The Thai aircraft carrier caught fire, with three crew members still missing while 20 others were rescued by the Royal Thai Navy and Omani authorities.
Read also: India condemns attacks on commercial ships after Iran targets ship heading to Kandla
The Foreign Ministry said in a press conference today that Foreign Minister Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi to discuss shipping safety and energy security amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, used to ship oil, has become a flashpoint in the current conflict. Iran claimed that it controlled the corridor, which the United States objected to.
Iran has intensified its attack on the Strait of Hormuz and warned passing ships not to obtain its approval.
Meanwhile, a Liberian-flagged ship carrying Saudi crude oil cleared the Hormuz area and arrived at the Mumbai port on Wednesday. The ship, carrying an Indian captain, was the first India-bound vessel to safely cross the waterway.
