Iran allows safe passage of six Bangladeshi fuel vessels through Strait of Hormuz

Dhaka: Iran on Wednesday said its Security Council has approved safe passage to Bangladesh's six fuel-carrying ships waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz amid continued war in West Asia.

As petroleum reserves continue to dwindle in Bangladesh, heavily dependent on imported fuel, five LNG shipments from Qatar and one crude oil cargo from Saudi Arabia, carrying nearly 5 lakh tonnes of LNG and around 79,000 tonnes of crude oil are waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

"Iran does not want Bangladeshis to face any hardships and will provide all necessary assistance for transporting fuel through Hormuz," Iranian Ambassador in Dhaka Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi told a press conference here.

Bangladesh had earlier requested Iran to allow the vessels to pass through the strait following the February 28 attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran and the retaliation by the Islamic nation.

The ambassador, however, expressed disappointment over Bangladesh's official reaction to the Israeli-US attacks on his country, which failed to condemn the aggression violating the UN Charter and the international law.

"Bangladesh has expressed concerns, but we would have been happy to see Bangladesh condemning the aggression on Iran," he said.

Jahanabadi said the previous US administration avoided falling into what he called an "Israeli trap" but claimed that President Donald Trump had done so under Israeli influence and instigation bringing the "entire region into war."

The envoy's comments came as officials concerned said Bangladesh currently had less than a month's of fuel reserves while Energy Division officials said they are yet to receive an official letter from Iran but noted that developments are moving in a positive direction.

Jahanabadi said the embassy in Dhaka has sent information and photographs to Tehran highlighting the difficulties faced by Bangladeshis amid the ongoing war.

The energy division last week provided the foreign ministry with a detailed list of six Bangladesh-bound vessels, including five LNG shipments from Qatar and one crude oil cargo from Saudi Arabia, carrying nearly 5 lakh tonnes of LNG and around 79,000 tonnes of crude oil.

"Initially, there were no specific details of the ships. After we informed Bangladesh, they shared the specific information last week," the envoy said.

Bangladesh depends heavily on imports for energy, with nearly a quarter of its natural gas demands and nearly all crude/refined oil imported, leading to high-risk energy security.

Starting February 28, the US and Israel have launched a massive joint attack on Iran and with Iran's retaliation, it has extended to the entire Gulf region.

Iranian strikes in Hormuz have affected maritime traffic in the strait, which is crucial for global supply chains for crude and oil.

The strait, a narrow shipping lane that connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean, remains effectively closed, bringing to a near halt the transit of hundreds of vessels per day, including container, dry bulk and liquid cargo ships.