The Iranian Embassy in India has strongly condemned the recent United States military strikes on Iran’s Shahid Kalantari Port in Chabahar, describing the attack as a “war crime.”

The Embassy accused Washington of deliberately targeting civilian and economic infrastructure, asserting that such actions constitute a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

In its statement, the Embassy emphasised that the United States has obligations under international law to protect civilian assets during armed conflict. It argued that by striking the Chabahar Port surveillance tower, the US demonstrated disregard for these obligations and further undermined global norms governing warfare.

The condemnation followed confirmation from US Central Command (CENTCOM) that its forces had destroyed the surveillance tower at Chabahar Port. CENTCOM stated that the facility was part of a maritime surveillance network operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to monitor commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM, the strike was intended to weaken the IRGC’s ability to coordinate attacks on commercial vessels and to safeguard freedom of navigation in regional waters.

CENTCOM added that the operation was part of the ongoing US naval blockade against Iran. It claimed that the destruction of the tower directly degraded the IRGC’s capacity to target civilian crew members and reinforced efforts to protect maritime traffic, except for vessels attempting to breach the blockade.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA confirmed the destruction of the maritime control tower but reported that berths, cargo-handling equipment, and other operational infrastructure at Chabahar Port were not damaged. Port authorities immediately began safety inspections and initiated steps to restore normal operations.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also responded to the developments. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the terminal itself had not suffered damage. He noted that the US waiver for India’s involvement in the Chabahar program had expired some time ago, and discussions were ongoing with stakeholders about the future of the project.

He reiterated that while reports of the strike were acknowledged, India’s operational terminal remained unaffected.

The incident has heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Iran accusing the US of violating international law and deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, while the US maintains that its actions are aimed at protecting global shipping routes and enforcing its blockade.

This episode underscores the growing volatility in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, where the intersection of military operations, international law, and global trade continues to generate friction. 

The competing narratives from Tehran and Washington highlight the deepening divide over freedom of navigation, sovereignty, and the legitimacy of military actions in contested waters.

ANI