Illicit transport of Iranian oil not to be tolerated, Rubio tells India

WASHINGTON (Web Desk) – Violations of the US blockade of Iranian ports “will not be tolerated,” US State Secretary Marco Rubio told India’s top diplomat, who said US strikes in the Gulf killed three Indian nationals._x000D_
_x000D_
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The two officials discussed recent events in the Strait of Hormuz,” a statement by State Department said on Saturday._x000D_
_x000D_
“The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait. He underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.”_x000D_
_x000D_
On Friday, India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said that in talks with Rubio he protested US attacks on vessels off the coast of Oman amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz._x000D_
_x000D_
“I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar wrote on US social media company X._x000D_
_x000D_
India on Friday also summoned the top US diplomat in New Delhi for the second time in a week to protest the attacks._x000D_
_x000D_
According to the US Central Command, this week it disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer and Palau-flagged tankers M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello for trying to transport Iranian oil.