Iran's Mohsen Rezaei speaks to Ajit Doval amid Gulf shipping attacks, Strait of Hormuz tensions

Iran's Secretary of the National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, conversed with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval via phone on Monday. The discussion covered regional developments and matters of mutual interest, according to the Iranian Embassy in India. The calls come amid ongoing Gulf shipping attacks and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which saw two Indian nationals missing after a drone attack on an Indian tanker on October 11.

Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal revealed that nine Indian crew members were rescued from the MT Petro Dolphin at Sohar Anchorage, while two remain missing. The local Coast Guard is conducting search-and-rescue operations, and Indian authorities are coordinating with relevant agencies to support these efforts.

Similarly, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker M/T Valthera, also carrying Indian seafarers, experienced an onboard fire after being hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. All 11 Indian crew members on board were safe, as per Sonowal.

Earlier in the week, the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2, carrying 22 Indian nationals, faced a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage, but all crew members were reported safe, according to Sonowal.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei asserted Iran's control over the crucial energy corridor, warning that regional security cannot return as long as foreign military aggression and economic blockades persist. Baghaei dismissed the American account of the situation, emphasizing that market realities contradict Washington's official narrative.

Despite claiming that the U.S. has agreed to some of Iran's seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei stated that Washington's response was inadequate and that Iran's diplomacy has changed, signaling no return to the status quo.