Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has condemned “brutal” US attacks on commercial vessels and their Indian crews in the Gulf of Oman, calling the strikes “clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and state piracy”.

“We extend our sympathies to the families and friends of the slain Indian sailors and offer our sincere condolences to the Indian people and government,” he writes on X.

“The international community must hold the United States accountable for its lawless conduct, which continues to threaten global peace and security while endangering the freedom of navigation.”