3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 14, 2026 05:22 AM IST
India and Iran are in contact with each other on the passage of Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian embassy is sending a fresh consignment of about 20,000 kg of medicine from India on Monday night, an Iranian diplomat told The Indian Express on Monday.
So far 45,000 kg of medicines have been shipped to Iran in two batches since the war broke out. The latest batch will be sent in a Mahaan air flight from Delhi to Mashhad, sources said, for nationwide distribution.
These medicines are mainly for Iranians who have been injured in US and Israeli strikes in the war before the two-week ceasefire was declared on April 9.
According to the Iranian embassy here, over 30,000 people have been injured — of whom 4,989 are women, 1,997 are children under the age of 18 years and 70 children are under the age of 2 years.
The medicines have been purchased by the Iranian embassy in Delhi from donations from the people of India, and is valued at about 1 lakh Euros (about Rs 1.09 crore), the Iranian diplomat said.
In his first briefing since the war broke out February 28, Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said Monday that India and Iran are in touch on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have good contact with the Indian government. We want to help the Indian government, and they helped us during these days, and because of our relations,” Fathali said.
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“We also believe in the freedom of navigation, we are also committed to international law. But the Strait of Hormuz is the territorial water of Iran and Oman.”
When asked if the Indian government has to pay for the passage of the Indian ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz, he said, “You can ask from the Indian government if they paid anything up to now or not.”
“Our high-ranking officials believe that we, as Iran and India, have a common interest, and God willing, we have a good relation(ship) in the future, and now, in these difficult times, we have a good relationship.”
Recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian twice, he said, “Iran and India share a common interest and common fate.”
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Asked what it will take to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Ambassador Fathali said that Iran believes in freedom of navigation and is committed to international law.
“I think that it depends on the situation. You know that (US President Donald) Trump announced so many things, particularly last night. Iran believed that and committed to international law and freedom of navigation. What we believe is (on) the Strait of Hormuz…we announced that in the near future we will provide the mechanism and announce it to all the countries.”
