'You gave me clearance to go!' Viral audio captures Indian tanker's ordeal during Hormuz firing

An audio exchange between the Indian-flagged tanker — that came under fire from the Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) — and the Iranian forces came to the fore on Sunday.

The recording has captured the tense moments faced by the captain of the motor tanker Sanmar Herald.

"Sepah Navy! Sepah Navy! This is a motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go! My name is second on your list! You gave me clearance to go! You are firing now! Let me turn back!" the captain can be heard saying.

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Two Indian-flagged vessels carrying crude oil reversed course in the Strait of Hormuz after coming under Iranian military gunfire on Saturday, prompting New Delhi to summon the Iranian envoy and lodge a strong protest.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed to Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali India's "deep concern" at the "shooting incident" involving the two ships in the strategic waterway, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Misri noted the "importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India," it said.

After the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran six weeks ago, Tehran largely halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz that carries one-fifth of global oil supplies. The Iranian action has triggered a significant rise in oil prices.

Following Tehran's announcement Friday that it has opened the waterway for commercial traffic, several commercial vessels tried to cross it. However, Iran on Saturday said that it has again closed the waterway, alleging that the US violated a certain understanding reached between the two sides.

In his meeting with the Iranian envoy, the foreign secretary told him to convey India's views on the incident to the authorities in Iran.

"Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, the foreign secretary urged the ambassador to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait," the MEA said in a statement.