The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that a “violating” supertanker that sought to cross the Strait of Hormuz through an “unauthorised” route within the preceding hours suffered a “huge” explosion after hitting a naval mine.

The explosion resulted in a “massive” fire on the oil tanker, which had turned off its GPS and radar systems, the navy said in a statement published by the IRGC’s official news outlet, Sepah News.

Carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil, the vessel sought “unauthorised” passage through the strait with the US. military’s support, Sepah News reported, adding that the waterway has been closed, Xinhua News Agency reported.

On Wednesday, the IRGC Navy said a “violating” container ship attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via an “unauthorised and high-risk” route sank earlier in the day after hitting a naval mine south of the waterway.

Speaking to state-run IRIB TV on Tuesday, IRGC Navy Commander Ali Azmaei said his troops are controlling the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz “round the clock,” while the Gulf of Oman is under the control and supervision of Iran’s navy.

He warned that those violating shipping rules under US “deception or provocation” would face a decisive response from Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday reiterated that his country does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, dismissing anti-Tehran propaganda claiming otherwise as a “lie.”

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, according to a statement on his office’s website.

“Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, and we consider the destructive propaganda against our country as a lie,” he said, citing the clear positions of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding the prohibition of developing nuclear weapons.

Washington, Oct 17: President Donald Trump said Russia had asked to be represented at the G20 meetings the United States is hosting this year, and that he would welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Asked by reporters at the White House before departing on Marine One whether Putin was coming to the G20, Trump said, “No, no, they asked to be represented. I don’t know if he’s coming. Certainly would love to have him,” he said.

Trump raised the G20 himself while answering a question about fuel prices. “And one more, because on the G20 meetings, you had Russian representatives go to those meetings,” he said.

The United States holds the G20 presidency in 2026. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 30 and 31, according to the State Department. Trump will host the Leaders’ Summit on December 14 and 15 at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida, the State Department has said.

Russia and India are both members of the G20. India hosted the grouping’s summit in New Delhi in September 2023.

Trump also said he would like to reach a nuclear deal with China and Russia but is not counting on it happening this year.

On the war in Ukraine, Trump was asked whether he had forgotten that it was Putin who started the war. “Well, you know, I know the details, okay? And at some point I’ll release the details. But I don’t care anything except for one. I want that war ended,” he said.

“25,000 soldiers on average a month are being killed. Last month was 32,000 soldiers,” Trump said. “I deal with both of them. I think they want that war ended there, and I think it’s going to end. That’s all I care about. I want that war to end.”

Asked about restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield, Trump said, “No, we didn’t do that at all.”

A Japanese delegation visited the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system in Mundka-Bakkarwala on Friday on the sidelines of the 12th India–Japan Joint Working Group Meeting on Roads and Road Transportation.

The MLFF system provided insights into India’s technology-driven initiatives for seamless and efficient highway travel.

At the MLFFs, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) uses a combination of RFID-based FASTag electronic toll collection, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and AI analytics to allow vehicles to pass through charging points without stopping, slowing down or remaining in a designated lane.

MLFFs have already been installed at Choryasi in Gujarat, Mundka in Delhi, Gharaunda in Haryana and Daulatpura and Manoharpura in Rajasthan.

While 12 further locations have been awarded for conversion, tenders have also been launched covering an additional 104 toll plazas around the country.

The MLFF at Choryasi on the Surat–Bharuch section of NH-48 was the first to become operational.

The one at Mundka on Delhi’s Urban Extension Road-II was the second.

The expansion plan represents a significant shift from India’s traditional barrier-based toll plazas.

Rather than moving immediately to satellite-based toll collection, the Indian government has opted to build on the country’s established FASTag system and combine it with ANPR and AI.

Expert committees had recommended further consideration of GPS-based barrier-free tolling because of security, privacy and operational control issues, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has indicated.

FASTag and ANPR/AI was thus selected as the technology for the current MLFF programme.

The session of the India–Japan Joint Working Group on Roads and Road Transportation Sector was successfully held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Discussions focused on advanced construction technologies, bridge and tunnel engineering, sustainable infrastructure and digital innovations, fostering the exchange of technical expertise and best practices.

“The meeting reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to safe, sustainable and technology-driven road infrastructure, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047,” the Ministry said in a statement.