India, Nov. 4 -- It has been stated that Iran has granted exemptions from the restrictions in regard to passage through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz to merchant ships of India, China, Iraq, and Qatar. The move has been made on the diplomatic and economic grounds, which include the facilitation of the delivery of medicines from India and political backing from China.

The statement has been made by Amir Hayat-Moghaddam, who is the deputy chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, in his exclusive interview with ISNA (Iranian Students' News Agency).

According to Hayat-Moghaddam, merchant ships of the four nations have been exempted from the passage restrictions imposed on other merchant...