An?Indian source? said that Iran would?allow India flagged tankers to pass through the Strait of?Hormuz. Through this route, 40% of India's crude oil imports go, a?source? based in India denied the agreement.

The Indian foreign ministry and Iranian embassy in New Delhi didn't immediately respond to comments. The Indian source refused to be identified, citing the lack of a?authorisation to speak with the media. Meanwhile, the Iranian source cited the'sensitivity' of the issue. The Strait of Malacca was attacked on Wednesday by a Thai vessel heading for Kandla,?India's westernmost port. New Delhi expressed strong condemnation.

The Indian Foreign Ministry said that it was "deeply concerned" about the military attacks on commercial shipping in the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The intensity and lethality appear to be increasing.

Iran has attacked 16 ships since Israel and the United States launched their war against?the country late in February. Tehran warned that oil prices could rise to $200 per barrel, almost double the current level.

According to an Iranian transcript of the conversation, India's Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Araghchi this week and discussed, among other things, the safety of maritime traffic across the Strait.

India, which is the third largest oil consumer in the world, has been forced to look for alternative sources of supply, such as buying more oil from Russia. Reporting by Saurabh sharma; Writing by Hritam mukherjee, Editing by Christian Schmollinger & Lincoln Feast.

(source: Reuters)