National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke to his Iranian counterpart Mohsin Rezaei on Monday (October 12, 2026) evening, the Iranian government said, a day after two merchant ships with Indian crew members were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Ministry of External Affairs, on Sunday, condemned the targeting of the two ships, the Nicaragua-flagged MT Petro Dolphin and the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera, a tanker, that were together carrying 23 sailors.
Two of the Indian sailors on board the Petro Dolphin, struck by a drone, are still missing, while 10 others, one Bangladeshi national and nine Indians, were rescued. The second ship was hit by a projectile and caught fire, but officials said all 11 Indian sailors on board were safe.
The readout issued by Iran did not give specifics of the conversation between the NSAs, nor did it refer to the incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has enforced a blockade for several months.
In a post, the Iranian Embassy in India said that Mr. Doval and Dr. Rezaei, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, “exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest to the two countries”.
The Ministry did not respond to queries about whether the attacks on the ships were discussed.
In its statement just past midnight on Sunday, the Ministry had condemned the strikes.
“India reiterates the need for immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement said. “Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld,” it added.
IRGC’s warning
Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Navy warned that any ship attempting to violate the blockade or transit the strait with its navigation and identification systems switched off to escape detection would face action. The official Iranian Press TV said in a report that a third crude oil super-tanker had struck a naval mine. Iran has mined the strait to enforce the blockade that began in March 2026, after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, killing its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28 this year.
“All vessels within the Strait of Hormuz that switch off their navigation and identification systems will be identified as hostile and dealt with firmly and decisively,” the IRGC Navy said, according to Press TV. The navy said the tanker that caught fire had been trying to pass through an “unauthorised route”.
The Ministry said that the safety and security of Indian seafarers “remain a priority” and that “recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation”. Last week, the Shipping Ministry confirmed that at least 11 Indian seafarers had died in the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf region since the war began. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also spoken several times in the past to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and stressed the need to stop attacking ships with civilians on board.
India accounts for 12.16% of the total global seafaring workforce, and at least 139 Indians are believed to be stuck in the Strait of Hormuz at present.
Published – October 13, 2026 12:32 am IST
