As the situation in the Middle East continues to escalate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted reports that the United States is using Indian ports to attack Iran.This comes after former US Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor claimed in an interview with a US-based channel that the US is using Indian naval bases in its war against Iran.“All of our bases have been destroyed. All of our port facilities have been destroyed. In fact, we are having to rely on India and Indian ports, which is not ideal, and that’s what the Navy says,” MacGregor said.

The MEA fact-checking account on X rejected the claims as “false and false.”“The claims being made on the US-based channel OAN that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are false and false. We caution against such baseless and fabricated comments,” the MEA said.India expressed “deep concern” over the escalating tensions in the Middle East and called on all parties to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation of tensions and ensure the safety of civilians.Chaos erupted in the Middle East after joint US and Israeli forces launched a coordinated airstrike on Iran, killing the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei (86).Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and targeting U.S. military bases across the Gulf.Earlier Wednesday, the Iranian warship Iris Dena was sunk by a torpedo fired from a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean, killing 87 people. The ship was recently on a friendly visit to India. This attack marked the first time since World War II that an American submarine attacked a surface warship.The war entered its sixth day on Thursday, but there were no signs of easing tensions.The conflict has already claimed more than 1,000 lives in Iran and about 12 in Israel, according to reports. At least six U.S. soldiers also died in the fighting.US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attack, saying Iran posed an imminent threat.“If we didn’t do it first, if they could, they would have done it to Israel and given us a shot,” Trump said.