Tehran: The Iranian Embassy in India on Saturday strongly condemned the recent United States military strikes against Iran’s Shahid Kalantari Port in Chabahar, which resulted in the destruction of a surveillance tower, characterising the operation as a "war crime".

In a statement posted on X, the Embassy expressed deep criticism of the US for what it described as the deliberate targeting of civilian and economic infrastructure, asserting that such actions represent a "flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations". The Embassy further argued that the strike demonstrates a "disregard for international law and its obligations to protect civilian objects during armed conflict".

This condemnation follows confirmation from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday that its forces had "successfully destroyed" the surveillance tower on Thursday. According to CENTCOM, the facility formed part of a maritime surveillance network used for decades by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to track and target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM maintained that the operation was intended to weaken the IRGC’s ability to coordinate attacks on civilian crews and to support freedom of navigation while enforcing an ongoing US naval blockade against Iran.

While Iranian state news agency IRNA confirmed the destruction of the control tower, it reported that other port infrastructure—including berths and cargo-handling equipment—remained undamaged, with authorities initiating safety inspections to resume normal operations.

In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) sought to clarify the situation regarding the strategic Chabahar port, which features two distinct terminals: Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti. India manages the Shahid Beheshti terminal. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed in a media briefing that the Indian-run terminal "did not face any damage" during the strikes.

Addressing questions regarding India's involvement in the port, Jaiswal noted that a previous US sanctions waiver for the project had expired, and the government is currently "in discussion with relevant stakeholders as to how to take this particular issue forward". India has consistently urged all parties involved in the West Asian conflict to avoid targeting civilian infrastructure under any circumstances.

ANI