Top US diplomat summoned again as anger mounts over vessel attacks
NEW DELHI: India summoned US charge d’affaires Jason Meeks for the second time in three days to lodge a strong protest against attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman that have resulted, as the government said, in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives. Unlike the last time, the ministry on this occasion also issued a statement to say that targeting civilian shipping with lethal force is unacceptable and undermines the safety of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time The summoning, again as opposed to the last time, took place in full public glare with the media allowed to film his arrival at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Deputy chief of mission Meeks is officiating as charge d’affaires in the absence of ambassador Sergio Gor, who is on a visit to Central Asia. According to the MEA, Meeks was also requested to convey India’s strong concerns to his authorities and to ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to prevent the loss of civilian life. “The ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time,” said the MEA. Asked for a reaction to the development, a US embassy spokesperson said that American authorities are in direct contact with the Indian government on these issues. “We don’t have anything further to share on our private diplomatic conversations,” said the official. India’s statement underscoring the risk to commercial shipping from US strikes is significant as government sources had for the past couple of days highlighted the American position that the ships were trying to evade the US blockade of Iranian ports when they were hit by precision munitions. An official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that even if the vessels failed to comply with instructions from US forces, actions that could imperil the lives of crew members must be avoided. Two Palau-flagged vessels and another Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship have been “disabled” since June 8 by US forces working to impose the blockade on Iranian ports that the Trump administration announced in April. Two of these ships are sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to American authorities. The attack on M/T Settebello on Wednesday had resulted in the loss of 3 Indian lives, after which MEA additional secretary (Americas) Nagaraj Naidu had summoned Meeks the same evening to issue a demarche to him. However, the very next day, US forces fired missiles at another vessel with 20 Indians on board, M/T Jalveer, accusing it of attempting to transport oil from Iran. According to the Central Command, the blockade is being enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
