Countries Urged to Oppose Iran’s Claims Over Strait of Hormuz
LONDON: A recent meeting held by the governing council of the United Nations shipping agency emphasized the need for countries to reject Iran’s attempts to assert control over the vital Strait of Hormuz. The council condemned Tehran’s decision to establish a new entity aimed at managing traffic through this key waterway.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated this week, following American airstrikes in response to what Washington describes as Iranian attacks on ships. These incidents have raised worries about global oil supply and shipping security, exposing the instability of a temporary truce that has been in place for over four months as negotiations for a longer-lasting deal continue.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), based in London and made up of 176 member states, focuses on regulating international shipping safety and preventing pollution. This week, the issue of protecting vital shipping routes was a central topic at a meeting involving 40 council members, where Gulf states, the U.S., and Iran debated the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
The IMO council “strongly condemned” Iran’s initiative to establish an entity for controlling maritime traffic and urged member states not to acknowledge Iran’s claims of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The council’s non-binding decision highlighted that Iran’s jurisdictional assertions violate the rights of other nations and warned against any Iranian actions that might obstruct international navigation.
In June, Iran’s newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced that vessels would need a permit from them to transit through the strait. Although Iran does not hold a position on the IMO council, it contended that the accusations against it were politically motivated and unfounded.
Iran asserted that it should not be bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) since it is not a signatory to that treaty. Iranian officials claimed their actions are designed to protect maritime safety and uphold national security, insisting that they are not seeking to close the strait to international passage.
