New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed viral social media claims suggesting that Iran has blocked Indian ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, calling the reports false and misleading.
Amid heightened tensions in West Asia, the ministry issued a public warning urging people to remain cautious about unverified information circulating online. Through its fact check unit on social media, the ministry flagged the widely shared posts and labelled them as fake, advising users not to spread such misinformation.
The viral messages had alleged that Iran denied passage to Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and that multiple ships were stranded in the region. The posts also claimed that the situation could severely disrupt India’s energy supplies and cause shortages of domestic gas.
One of the posts suggested that the alleged restriction was linked to an earlier incident in which India had supposedly seized three Iranian oil tankers in February while negotiating a major trade agreement with the United States. It further claimed that Iran had declared the strait a restricted zone for Indian ships until the tankers were returned.
Another circulating message stated that 22 Indian naval ships carrying 611 Indian citizens were stranded in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. The claim also said that six of these vessels were transporting liquefied petroleum gas and that India could face a major shortage of cooking gas because of the supposed blockade.
The government has categorically rejected these claims, stating that they have no factual basis. Screenshots of the misleading posts were shared with clear markings identifying them as false.
Authorities have advised the public to verify information before sharing it on social media, especially during sensitive geopolitical developments, and to rely only on official sources for accurate updates.
