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

The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) governing council has urged member nations to reject Iran's moves to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. The UN shipping agency's council condemned Tehran's unilateral decision to create an authority to manage traffic through the critical waterway, according to a decision reached Friday.

IMO Council Condemns Iranian Move

In a non-binding decision, the IMO's 40-member council "strongly condemned" Iran's establishment of an entity purporting to control vessel movements. The decision came amid heightened regional tensions following recent attacks on ships and U.S. military airstrikes that Washington has attributed to Tehran.

The council called upon its 176 member states to refuse recognition of several key Iranian assertions. Key points from the council's decision include:

• Not recognizing Iran’s claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Rejecting Iran's assertions of jurisdiction over maritime zones belonging to other states.
• Not recognizing any Iranian actions aimed at "closing, obstructing, hampering or otherwise interfering with" the right of transit passage.

Tehran Defends Maritime Measures

Ad

The dispute centers on Iran's recently created Persian Gulf Strait Authority. In a June advisory, the body stated that no vessel would be permitted to pass through the waterway "without a valid passage permit."

Iran, which does not hold a seat on the IMO council, rejected the accusations as "politically motivated and legally unfounded," according to its delegation. Tehran's representatives argued that since Iran is not a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it is "not bound by the treaty-based regime." The delegation stated its measures are for maritime security and to protect national interests, not to close the strait.

Implications for Global Energy Markets

The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint, with a significant volume of global seaborne oil supplies transiting the narrow channel daily. Any escalation or disruption in the waterway poses a direct risk to global energy stability and can trigger volatility in crude oil prices.

This diplomatic clash at the UN agency underscores the fragility of shipping security in the Gulf. For energy markets and the shipping industry, heightened geopolitical risk can translate into higher insurance premiums and increased operational costs, ultimately impacting global supply chains.