![\"Iran](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-129815498,imgsize-514447,width-400,resizemode-4\/129815498.jpg\" "\\"Iran")
<\/div>\nStrait of Hormuz (AP photo)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Iran on Thursday said that, despite ongoing military escalation in the Middle East, it has allowed transit through the Strait of Hormuz for \u201cfriendly nations,\u201d including India.Access to the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz for India comes as New Delhi, according to a Bloomberg report, has purchased its first LPG cargo from Iran since 2018. Imports had come to a halt in 2019 after the West imposed sanctions on Iran.The reported purchase follows a 30-day waiver granted by the Donald Trump administration to help keep global oil and gas prices in check.The consulate general of Iran in Mumbai shared a statement from Iran\u2019s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, saying: \u201cWe have permitted passage through the Strait of #Hormuz for friendly nations, including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan.\u201d <\/p>\n Watch<\/span><\/p>\n Iran Denies Permission To Pakistan-Bound Ship Trying To Cross Hormuz As Indian Ships Sail Through<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Araghchi\u2019s remarks came after UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open.In a post on X, Guterres said, \u201cThe prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the movement of oil, gas, and fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season. Across the region and beyond, civilians are enduring serious harm and living under profound insecurity. The UN is working to minimise the consequences of the war. And the best way to minimise those consequences is clear: end the war immediately.\u201dThe UN chief also urged US-Israel and Iran to end the ongoing military escalation.“My message to the US & Israel is that it’s high time to end the war – as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount & the global economic impact is increasingly devastating. My message to Iran is to stop attacking their neighbours that are not parties to the conflict,” he said.\u201cMy message to the US and Israel is that it is high time to end the war, as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact becomes increasingly devastating. My message to Iran is to stop attacking neighbours that are not parties to the conflict,\u201d he said.However, for Western powers, the key oil lifeline remains the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint now increasingly volatile amid the US-Israel offensive on Iran. The strong retaliatory action by Tehran regime included the choking of key waterway in the Gulf, with fears that any disruption could effectively choke global energy flows.<\/div>\n