ISTANBUL
Jakarta is coordinating with Iran for the safe passage of Indonesian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the nation’s Foreign Ministry spokesman told Anadolu on Friday.
“Regarding the passage of Indonesian vessels (Pertamina) on the Strait of Hormuz, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Embassy in Tehran have already conducted coordination with relevant authorities in Iran,” Vahd Nabyl told Anadolu in a text statement.
Pertamina is an Indonesian state-owned oil and natural gas corporation.
Vahd said Tehran has given a “positive response.”
“Currently technical and operational aspects are still being worked out,” he added.
At least two Pertamina tankers remain stuck in the Persian Gulf, reports from Jakarta said Friday.
Jakarta’s efforts to secure its vessels come as Iran maintains effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which most of energy supplies to Asian nations pass.
Tehran established control over the strait after the US and Israel initiated a joint military offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
According to a tally by Anadolu, at least 25 people from Asian nations have been either killed or remain missing since the conflict broke out.
They include eight from India (including one missing), four from Bangladesh, four from Pakistan, and one each from China, Nepal, and the Philippines, while three each from Indonesia and Thailand are missing in waters around the Middle East.