West Asia Tensions: The recent steps of Iran, which is facing war against America and Israel, have shocked the whole world. Iran rejected the 15-point peace proposal sent by US President Donald Trump and called it a joke, after which Trump has warned to intensify attacks. Meanwhile, a relief news has emerged for India and its neighboring countries facing the LPG crisis.

Hormuz doors open for friendly countries

Iran said on Thursday that despite the ongoing military tension in the Middle East, it has opened the transit route of the Strait of Hormuz for its friendly countries including India. This is a news of great relief for India, especially at a time when according to Reuters report, India has purchased LPG cargo from Iran for the first time since 2018. Earlier in 2019, after the sanctions of western countries, India had completely stopped energy imports from Iran.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had announced a 30-day exemption on purchasing oil and gas from Iran in view of the global energy crisis.

Relief to these five countries

In a statement issued by the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz has been given to friendly countries like China, Russia, India, Iraq and Pakistan.

This statement of Araghchi has come at a time when United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres had also appealed to reopen this important sea route.

It is noteworthy that it has been almost four weeks since America and Israel attacked Iran, but till now there has been no sign of peace. In such a situation, amid the global energy crisis, the opening of the Hormuz Strait can prove to be a big relief for many countries.

Read this also: Amidst Middle East tension, crude oil rises again above 100 dollars, ban on Hormuz increases concern

The situation in Iran is deteriorating rapidly. The death toll is also continuously increasing amid the ongoing protests against the government in Iran. The situation in Iran has become so serious that the Indian government has issued a final warning to its citizens present there and advised them to leave Iran as soon as possible. It is being told that about 10 thousand Indians are stranded in Iran, out of which a large number are students.

Now the situation has become such that many Indians are not able to leave the country immediately even if they want to. Amidst the tension, Iran closed its airspace on the night of 14-15 January, due to which many international flights were canceled or diverted. However, the airspace was reopened later in the morning. Even before this, Iran has closed its airspace during the attacks with Israel and during the 12-day war in June. The situation still remains unstable. In such a situation, questions are being raised as to how the Indians trapped in Iran will get out.

Airlines issued advisory

Considering the situation in Iran, Indian aviation companies have issued advisories. In fact, Air India, Indigo and other companies have said that in view of the situation in Iran, closure of its air space and safety of passengers, the flights which were passing over that area are now using other routes. Due to which flights may be delayed. Those flights which are not possible to re-route have been cancelled. Apart from this, the Government of India had also issued an advisory in which guidelines were issued for all Indian citizens. The Foreign Ministry had said in its advisory that all citizens should leave Iran as soon as possible.

Why are Indians not able to leave Iran?

Along with the situation, the system has also become the biggest challenge for the Indians stranded in Iran. It is not easy to leave the country especially for the Indian students studying there. Actually, under the rules of Iran, foreign students have to submit their passports to the university administration. In the current situation, many universities are delaying the return of passports due to security reasons. Apart from this, to leave Iran, not only passport but also exit visa is required. Many students do not have this visa yet. The examinations have been postponed and the university administration says that exit visa cannot be given before the examination process is completed. Due to which, the situation remains difficult for the Indians trapped in Iran.

Now how will the Indians trapped there get out?

Due to the worsening of the situation in Iran, many questions are now arising in the minds of people that if the airspace is closed again, how will the Indians trapped there be able to get out. If Iran’s airspace remains closed then flights will not be able to go to Iran. But land and sea routes are open, so Indians living there can reach the border of the nearest country through land route. From where they can get onward flights. Apart from this, if needed, if the Indian government takes initiative like rescue operation, then Indian citizens can be evacuated from Iran.

Also read-Iran Protests: Which are the five biggest rebellions and demonstrations that took place in Iran in the last 50 years? Know the whole story

Iran is currently going through a serious political and economic crisis. The protests that broke out across the country have posed a big challenge to the government. The situation has become so bad that internet and mobile services have been banned in Iran. This crisis is not limited to Iran only, but it can also affect countries like India, whose strategic and trade interests are deeply linked to Iran. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has announced that an additional 25 percent tariff will be imposed on any country that does any kind of trade with Iran. In such a situation, this news is a matter of concern for India, because India is a business partner of Iran.

Why is Iran so important for India?

Iran is a very important part of India’s foreign and trade policy. Iran plays the role of a major transit hub in the projects in which India has invested to strengthen its reach to Central Asia, Russia and Europe. Especially Chabahar port located on the south-eastern coast of Iran is very strategically important for India.

Chabahar Port gives India a direct trade route to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe, bypassing Pakistan. This port is also an important part of the International North-South Transport Corridor i.e. INSTC. Through this route, India saves about 40 percent time and about 30 percent cost in export-import. If instability increases in Iran and Chabahar port is affected, India’s geo-economic strategy may suffer a major setback.

What will be the impact on India-Iran trade?

According to government data, bilateral trade between India and Iran stood at around $1.68 billion in the financial year 2024-25. In this, India exported $1.24 billion to Iran, while $0.44 billion was imported. In this way India got a trade profit of about 0.80 billion dollars. The major goods sent from India to Iran include rice, tea, sugar, medicines, electric machinery and artificial fibres. India imports dry fruits, chemicals and glass products from Iran. If the crisis deepens and Chabahar Port or INSTC route is disrupted, India-Iran trade may be directly affected.

Why may India’s problems increase on the oil and gas front?

Iran is among the world’s largest oil and gas producing countries. If the impact of the Iran crisis reaches the Strait of Hormuz, global oil supply could be severely affected. About 20 percent of the world’s crude oil is supplied through this route. India imports more than 80 percent of its crude oil needs. In such a situation, India’s import bill will increase due to increase in oil prices. This will have a direct impact on transportation costs, freight and inflation for the common people. Inflationary pressure in the country may further increase due to increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.

Why is stability in Iran important for India?

The ongoing crisis in Iran is not just a problem of a neighboring country for India, but it is a matter directly related to India’s trade, energy and strategic security. Issues like Chabahar Port, INSTC Corridor and oil supply are related to India’s long-term economic plans. If the situation in Iran worsens, India will have to be prepared for its far-reaching effects.

Also read: Kill switch tool that stopped Elon Musk’s internet service in Iran, Khamenei regime jammed Starlink like this

Iran’s big statement has come after Donald Trump’s debut on six Indian companies and the announcement of 25 percent tariffs. On Thursday (July 31, 2025), Iran provoked the US that it was arming the economy and using sanctions to impose its desire and obstruct their development on independent countries such as Iran and India.

Iran’s embassy in India posted on the social media platform ‘X’, saying, ‘America is constantly making the economy a weapon and is using restrictions to impose its desire and stop their development on independent nations such as Iran and India. These discriminatory and forced steps are a violation of the principles of international law and national sovereignty and are a modern form of economic imperialism.

The post of Irani Duvat further stated, “Such policies are a more powerful, emerging, non-western multilateral world system and a strong global south move.” Iran’s reaction came within 24 hours of the US announcement, in which US President Donald Trump had said to impose 25 percent tariff on India from August 1 and a penalty to buy oil from Russia.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday termed the new American sanctions imposed on Iran’s oil trade as an unwanted act and said it aims to damage the economic development of the country and the good of its citizens.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bag, while strongly condemned the restrictions imposed by the US on Iran’s oil and energy sector institutions, individuals and ships, described them as a repressive sanctions and said that this is a clear evidence of American policy makers’ enmity towards the Iranian public.

Addressing the media in Tehran, Bagi said, “These unilateral and illegal sanctions fall under the category of crime, which violate international laws and the basic principles of human rights and are crimes against humanity.”