UN Maritime Agency Urges Rejection of Iranian Control Over Strait of Hormuz

The governing council of the United Nations' shipping agency has urged member countries to reject Iran's efforts to impose sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows Tehran's creation of a new body to control traffic through the vital maritime chokepoint, a development that has heightened geopolitical tensions.

IMO Council Condemns Iranian Actions

In a non-binding decision reached on Friday, the 40-member governing council of the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) addressed Iran's recent measures. The council "strongly condemned" Iran's decision to establish an entity purporting to control vessel traffic through the strait.

The decision calls upon the IMO's 176 member states to refuse recognition of:

• Iran’s claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Any Iranian decisions aimed at "closing, obstructing, hampering or otherwise interfering with international navigation and the right of transit passage."

This follows a June advisory from Iran's newly created Persian Gulf ​Strait Authority, which stated that no vessel would be permitted to pass through the waterway "without a valid passage permit" issued ​by the body.

Iran Defends Its Position

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Iran, which does not hold a seat on the council, rejected the accusations, calling them "selective, politically motivated and legally unfounded" in a statement to IMO delegates. Tehran's delegation argued that its measures are intended to ensure maritime safety and security and to safeguard its own sovereignty.

Iran also noted that it is not a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is therefore "not bound by the treaty-based regime" governing transit passage. The delegation asserted that its actions "do not constitute the closure of the strait."

Market and Geopolitical Context

The IMO's discussion comes amid renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, prompted by recent attacks on ships in the region that Washington has attributed to Tehran. These incidents have reignited concerns among investors and energy markets about the security of global oil supplies, as a significant portion of the world's seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Any disruption or perceived threat to freedom of navigation in the strait can introduce significant volatility into oil prices and increase shipping and insurance costs. The IMO's decision, while not legally enforceable, represents a significant diplomatic rebuke of Iran's actions and reinforces the international principle of transit passage through strategic waterways.