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Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi (ANI photo)
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday sharply criticised the United States over its stance on Russian crude oil, claiming Washington was now “begging” countries, including India, to buy Russian oil after earlier pressuring them to halt such imports.In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The US spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world--including India--to buy Russian crude."
He also criticised Europe’s position on the conflict, writing, "Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win US support against Russia."Ending the post with a blunt remark, he added, "pathetic," while sharing a report highlighting how the US war with Iran could end up benefiting Russia,a country Donald Trump has remained at odds with on several geopolitical issues.
Araghchi’s comments came a day after he spoke with his counterpart in New Delhi S Jaishankar. The call marked the fourth interaction between the two ministers since tensions escalated in the Middle East.Meanwhile, Iran has allowed two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to transit through the Strait of Hormuz despite the ongoing conflict in the region, according to a Reuters report citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Reuters also reported, citing shipping data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, that a crude oil tanker carrying Saudi Arabian oil is expected to arrive in India after transiting the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month.Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali confirmed that Tehran would ensure safe passage for vessels headed to India through the Strait of Hormuz.Responding to a question on whether Indian-bound ships would be allowed safe transit through the key energy route, Fathali said, "Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see the future, and I think that after two or three hours. Because we believe that. We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests; we have a common fate."He added, "Suffering of the people of India is our suffering and vice versa. And for this reason, the government of India help us, and we should help the government of India because we have a common fate and common interest."
