5 min readNew DelhiJun 13, 2026 03:23 PM IST
First published on: Jun 13, 2026 at 01:31 PM IST
Iran on Saturday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s allegation that Tehran was behind a drone attack on Indian-linked commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, calling the accusation “simply baseless” and accusing Washington of trying to divert attention from attacks that killed three Indian sailors.
“The US president’s accusation against Iran regarding an Indian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is simply baseless. It is an attempt to divert public attention from the brutal fact that the US has attacked 3 Indian vessels in less than a week and killed 3 innocent Indian sailors. That’s pathetic!” the Iranian Embassy in India said in a post on X,
Trump blamed Iran for drone attack
The sharp response came hours after US President accused Iran of targeting Indian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
“Their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together, and FAST!” Trump wrote on his official social media platform Truth Social.
Trump’s comments were made amid growing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
The US president also accused Iran of leaking the terms of the West Asia peace deal to the media.
Iran condemned deaths of Indian sailors
Iran’s response echoed remarks made earlier by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, who accused the United States of carrying out attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew.
“The brutal US attacks on Indian commercial vessels which have killed at least three Indian nationals, stand as clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy,” Baqaei said on X, while offering condolences to the families of the deceased sailors and the Indian government.
The exchange came after a US strike on the tanker Settebello off Oman killed three Indian seafarers, according to Reuters, while another vessel, MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian crew members, was attacked a day later. India has twice summoned the US chargé d’affaires in New Delhi to protest the attacks and described the use of force against civilian shipping as unacceptable.
Why this matters
The exchange highlights how India, despite not being a party to the conflict, has increasingly found itself drawn into the fallout, with Indian seafarers caught in attacks and New Delhi forced into rare diplomatic confrontations with Washington.
India raises concerns as Hormuz tensions mount
In its statement after the death of three Indian sailors, the Ministry of External Affairs had said it had conveyed to the US its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. “Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time,” the MEA said.
The dispute has unfolded even as Washington and Tehran signal progress towards a possible agreement to end the ongoing conflict. However, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high.
On Friday, US Central Command said its forces had intercepted multiple Iranian drones allegedly targeting commercial shipping in the strait. Iran has denied responsibility for such attacks. The claims could not be independently verified.
For India, which relies heavily on the Gulf for energy imports and supplies thousands of seafarers to the global shipping industry, the escalating blame game has transformed a distant geopolitical conflict into a direct concern for its citizens and economic interests. India is the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers after the Philippines, with thousands working aboard commercial vessels transiting the Gulf.
MT Jalveer came under attack on Thursday morning. Later, the MEA confirmed that all 20 Indians onboard the vessel are safe. (Photo: X/@FSUIINDIA) 
Trump’s comments were made amid growing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
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