Urges dialogue, protection of civilians
New Delhi, July 8: India on Wednesday said that it remains “deeply concerned” over the recent attacks and escalation of tensions in West Asia, following fresh targeting of commercial shipping transiting international waterways in the region.
Global crude oil prices surged more than six per cent after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was effectively “over” following a fresh round of American military strikes on Iran, intensifying concerns over energy supplies from West Asia.
The US President’s remarks came amid renewed tensions in the region following a series of attacks on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route.
“India is deeply concerned over the recent attacks and escalation of tensions in West Asia, which have followed fresh targeting of commercial shipping transiting international waterways in the region. These developments risk undermining regional peace, security and stability,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal late Wednesday.
“India calls upon all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and ensure protection of civilians as well as the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies and commerce. We urge the parties to return to dialogue and diplomacy to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict,” it added.
International oil benchmark Brent crude climbed as much as 6.52 per cent or $4.69 to trade near $80 a barrel. Similarly, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced more than six per cent or $4.85 to around $75 a barrel.
Trump on Wednesday warned Iran that the United States was prepared to launch further military strikes and even reimpose a naval blockade if Tehran continued its attacks, while declaring that he no longer believed negotiations over its nuclear programme were worth pursuing despite leaving the door open for his envoys to keep talking.
Speaking during separate appearances with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and later Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump defended the latest US military action against Iranian targets, accused Tehran of violating a pause requested for funeral ceremonies and suggested the current diplomatic framework had effectively collapsed.
Trump said Iran had resumed hostile actions after the United States had temporarily held back military operations.
“They said to us, please don’t kill us during the funeral. I said I won’t. We didn’t. In fact, we made it safe for them, actually,” Trump said.
He added that Iran had instead resumed attacks.
“They started shooting rockets at ships yesterday,” he said.
“So we hit them very hard last night, very hard. I would say 20 to one, 20 times tougher. And I told them, ‘Every time you hit, we hit.'”
Asked whether his earlier remarks meant a return to full-scale hostilities, Trump repeatedly avoided giving a direct answer, but warned that more strikes could follow.
“We’ll probably hit ’em hard tonight, I’ll give ’em a little warning,” he said.
Later, he said he had instructed the US military to broaden its targeting during the latest operation.
“I told the military to don’t hit the pipes but hit everything else” on Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal. He also disclosed that Tehran had sought what he described as a “time out” during funeral proceedings before resuming attacks.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said US forces had targeted Iranian military assets involved in threatening commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
