India protests to US after three sailors killed in tanker attack

{"text":[[{"start":8.95,"text":"New Delhi has protested to the US over the deaths of three Indian sailors in an attack on a Palau-flagged ship accused of violating Washington’s blockade on Iran."}],[{"start":19.049999999999997,"text":"The Indian government summoned Jason Meeks, the US deputy chief of mission in New Delhi, to deliver the “strong protest” on Wednesday. "}],[{"start":27.999999999999996,"text":"However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government appears to have little appetite for a diplomatic confrontation with Washington over the US attack on the tanker Settebello earlier on Wednesday and on other Indian-crewed vessels in recent days."}],[{"start":42.4,"text":"India’s foreign ministry condemned the attacks on shipping in the Gulf without mentioning the US by name. The ministry called for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions”."}],[{"start":51.849999999999994,"text":"“There have been several incidents involving Indian seafarers in west Asia in the last few days,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a briefing on Thursday. “We attach high importance to the welfare and wellbeing of our seafarers’ community.”"}],[{"start":67.14999999999999,"text":"On Wednesday night, US President Donald Trump posted his congratulations on social media to Modi on becoming India’s longest continuously serving prime minister. Modi responded by thanking him and saying he looked forward to advancing a strategic partnership between India and the US."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":84.5,"text":"The International Maritime Organization said on Wednesday the attack on the Settebello, which was hit off the Oman coast, was “simply unacceptable”. "}],[{"start":93.9,"text":"“I strongly condemn any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping,” said Arsenio Dominguez, IMO secretary-general."}],[{"start":105.2,"text":"The US has sought to block Iran’s oil from leaving on ships since mid-April in an effort to pressure Tehran to end its near-closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway. "}],[{"start":115.55,"text":"US Central Command said it disabled the Settebello by firing “precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces”."}],[{"start":126.8,"text":"It said that by Thursday US forces had disabled nine “non-compliant vessels” since initiating the blockade on April 13."}],[{"start":135.15,"text":"US forces hit another Palau-flagged oil tanker, the Marivex, on Monday in the Gulf, but Indian authorities said the crew was rescued. "}],[{"start":143.85,"text":"On Thursday, India’s embassy in Oman said it had learnt of another “incident” involving a ship, the Jalveer, adding that its crew was being evacuated. Centcom said the Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker was hit by two Hellfire missiles as it attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf."}],[{"start":160.9,"text":"The Jalveer’s most recently signalled position was off the coast of west Africa, despite it being located off Oman when it was hit. So-called spoofing is a typical practice of ships attempting to disguise their whereabouts. The Jalveer has a regular history of spoofing over the past two years."}],[{"start":179.75,"text":"India is the world’s third-biggest supplier of crew for commercial shipping, with more than 320,000 seafarers working globally, according to government figures."}],[{"start":189.8,"text":"The US and Iran traded strikes overnight on Thursday, in the most serious threat to a two-month ceasefire that the adversaries are struggling to agree a deal to extend."}],[{"start":206.85,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1781231676_5705.mp3"}