National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval spoke to his Iranian counterpart Mohsin Rezaei on Monday (October 12, 2026) evening, the Iranian government said, a day after two merchant ships with Indian crew members were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
Doval and Dr. The Ministry did not respond to queries about whether the attacks on the ships were discussed. “Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld,” it added. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also spoken several times in the past to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and stressed the need to stop attacking ships with civilians on board.
The Ministry of External Affairs, on Sunday, condemned the targeting of the two ships, the Nicaragua-flagged MT Petro Dolphin and the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera, a tanker, that were together carrying 23 sailors. Two of the Indian sailors on board the Petro Dolphin , struck by a drone, are still missing, while 10 others, one Bangladeshi national and nine Indians, were rescued. The second ship was hit by a projectile and caught fire, but officials said all 11 Indian sailors on board were safe. Last week, the Shipping Ministry confirmed that at least 11 Indian seafarers had died in the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf region since the war began.
In a post, the Iranian Embassy in India said that Mr. Rezaei, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, “exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments and issues of mutual interest to the two countries”. “India reiterates the need for immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement said. The Ministry said that the safety and security of Indian seafarers “remain a priority” and that “recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation”.
In its statement just past midnight on Sunday, the Ministry had condemned the strikes.
