Earlier, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders, citing the heightened security situation in the Gulf region.
Tehran: The Indian Embassy in Iran on Sunday issued a revised advisory for Indian nationals amid an increase in levels of instability and conflict in Iran.
The advisory asked the nationals to postpone travel to Iran and asked any Indians who are already in Iran to consider leaving temporarily.
“Indian nationals intending to travel to Iran for any purpose should postpone travel for the time being until the security environment improves. Indians already in Iran should consider temporarily exiting Iran, using available flight options,” stated the advisory.
“Indian nationals who choose to remain in Iran should exercise the highest possible level of caution. They should carefully monitor the news to maintain full situational awareness and should avoid locations seeing higher levels of military activity, such as those along the southern coast of the country. Instructions issued by local authorities should be complied with carefully,” it added.
The Embassy also asked any Indian nationals present in Iran who have not yet registered their details with the Embassy to do so immediately, and to regularly monitor the Embassy’s website and social media handles for further updates.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders, citing the heightened security situation in the Gulf region.
Taking to the social media platform X, the maritime regulator said the move was aimed at safeguarding the safety, security and welfare of Indian seafarers amid continuing attacks on merchant vessels operating in the conflict-affected region.
Recent attacks on merchant vessels — including Mombasa B, Al Bahyah, GFS Galaxy, MT WEDYAN and AL REKAYYAT — have significantly increased the risks faced by seafarers and commercial ships operating in the area, the DGMA said.
In addition, the advisory directed masters of vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and adjoining waters to maintain heightened security vigilance, continuously monitor navigational warnings and security advisories, and strictly implement Ship Security Plans and other measures under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
However, ship owners, ship managers and RPSL companies have been instructed not to deploy Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders.
For emergency assistance, the DGMA asked seafarers and vessels to immediately contact the DG Communication Centre (MMDAC) or the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR).
The DGMA said it continues to closely monitor the evolving security situation in the Gulf region and remains committed to safeguarding the safety, security and welfare of Indian seafarers.
The advisory comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after US strikes on Iranian military installations stoked fears of a wider regional conflict and potential disruptions to shipping through Hormuz.
Reports claim that the United States targeted Iran’s coastal defence and missile facilities on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade on its ports.
In response, Iran threatened to curb more regional energy exports, saying it was engaged in an existential war with the US..
The tensions between Iran and the US have flared again recently as both sides have traded rounds of attacks across the Middle East.
Iran has ceased the fulfilment of its obligations under the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States as Washington has violated its commitments under the deal, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said.
Meanwhile, US forces have completed another round of strikes against Iran, with more than 50,000 US troops in the Middle East remaining “highly vigilant,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
“During the eighth consecutive night of US strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities,” CENTCOM said in a post on social media platform X.
The US military also targeted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which “launched attacks against US service members in Jordan on July 17,” the command said.
Agencies