The United Nations' maritime agency governing council has agreed that member states should reject Iran's attempts to assert sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and its unilateral decision to establish an authority to control traffic through the critical waterway.
The decision by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) council comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, following recent exchanges of hostilities that included U.S. airstrikes. These incidents have renewed concerns regarding the stability of global oil supplies and shipping routes, highlighting the precariousness of the ongoing interim truce aimed at ending a protracted conflict while a lasting agreement is negotiated.
The IMO, based in London, is the international body responsible for the safety, security, and environmental protection of international shipping, with 176 member states. Discussions at the recent session of its 40-member governing council focused on the protection of vital shipping lanes. The strait became a point of contention, with Gulf nations, the United States, and Iran engaging in disagreements over its future.
According to the text of the non-binding decision, the IMO Council "strongly condemned" Iran's establishment of an entity that purports to control traffic through the strait. The council's resolution urged member states not to recognize Iran's sovereignty claims over the Strait of Hormuz, nor its assertions of jurisdiction over the maritime zones of third states within and around the strait. It also called on members to reject any Iranian decisions that could lead to the closure, obstruction, or interference with international navigation and the right of transit passage.
Iran's newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority had previously issued an advisory in June stating that vessels would require a permit from the body to pass through the waterway. Iran, which is not a member of the IMO Council, informed delegates this week that it rejected what it termed "selective, politically motivated and legally unfounded allegations." Tehran’s delegation stated that Iran is not a party to the UNCLOS international maritime convention and is therefore not bound by its treaty-based regime.
The Iranian delegation further asserted that its implemented measures are intended to uphold maritime safety and security, prevent support for acts of aggression, safeguard Iran's sovereignty and vital security interests, and ensure safe and non-threatening navigation. They maintained that these measures do not constitute a closure of the strait.
