An audio clip from an Indian-registered tanker reveals a heated radio conversation amid a shooting event in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian personnel fired at two commercial ships navigating the waterway.
The captain of the vessel Sanmar Herald is heard urgently addressing Iranian naval forces: ‘Sepah Navy! Sepah Navy! This is motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You authorized my passage! I’m second on your roster! You permitted me to proceed! You’re shooting now! Allow me to reverse direction!’
The recording surfaced following an episode on Saturday when two Indian-registered merchant ships, one a large oil carrier, faced gunfire while trying to cross the strait. The vessels turned back after members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps discharged weapons.
Authorities reported that the oil carrier held about 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude during the event. Intercepted communications indicated that IRGC patrol boats fired as they directed ships westward. The UK Maritime Trade Operations verified that two IRGC vessels shot at a tanker in the area.
Initial accounts mentioned shooting near Qeshm and Larak islands, leading ships to halt their journeys. A source in maritime security noted that a container vessel was also struck in the occurrence.
Multiple ships in the vicinity received radio announcements stating that the Strait of Hormuz was fully shut down again. The message alerted: ‘All vessels take note, due to the US government’s failure to meet its obligations in talks, Iran announces the Strait of Hormuz fully closed once more. No ship of any kind or origin may traverse the Strait of Hormuz.’
In response, India called in the Iranian ambassador to register a strong objection, voicing serious worry about the matter. An official source named one ship as Sanmar Herald and affirmed that both the vessel and its personnel were unharmed.
India’s foreign ministry leadership pressed the diplomat to relay New Delhi’s issues to Tehran and advocated for the swift restoration of secure transit for vessels heading to India. The ambassador promised to pass on the message.
Officials stated that the shipping regulatory body is vigilantly tracking developments and implementing measures to protect Indian mariners and ships in the zone.
Separately, Iran’s envoy of the Supreme Leader in India, Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, minimized worries about the alleged shooting. In a statement to ANI, he indicated he lacked details on the event. ‘The ties between Iran and India are robust, and I’m unaware of the incident you refer to. We anticipate it will be resolved satisfactorily,’ Ilahi remarked.
