New Delhi, March 13 -- Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, on Friday confirmed that Tehran will provide safe passage to vessels bound for India through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, citing the longstanding friendship and shared interests between the two countries.

Answering a question on whether Iran would allow Indian-bound ships safe transit through the Strait, which is one of the critical routes for global energy trade, Fathali said, "Yes. Because India and I are friends. You can see in the future and I think that after two or three hours. Because we believe that. We believe that Iran and India are friends. We have common interests; we have a common fate."

He emphasised the mutual responsibili...