Iran has urged the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reject a proposal submitted by the United Arab Emirates and eight allied countries concerning the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as politically motivated, legally unfounded and beyond the mandate of the UN maritime agency. <\/p>\n
In a formal response submitted to the 137th session of the IMO Council, Tehran said the UAE’s proposal sought to shift responsibility for regional instability onto Iran while ignoring what it described as the “root causes” of the crisis, namely US and Israeli military actions against the Islamic Republic, News.Az<\/a> reports, citing Mehr news agency<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The proposal is based on a selective and politically motivated narrative, shifts responsibility onto the victim of aggression and ignores the root causes of the current instability,” Iran said in the document.<\/p>\n Iran also called on the IMO Council to refrain from adopting any document that assigns international responsibility, prejudges disputed legal issues or makes determinations on the legal status of the Strait of Hormuz or questions of sovereignty.<\/p>\n Tehran reiterated that it does not recognise the transit passage regime under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), arguing that it is not a party to the treaty and instead applies the principle of innocent passage through the strategically important waterway.<\/p>\n Iran said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping and that the safety and security measures it has introduced are supervisory and precautionary in nature.<\/p>\n “The measures adopted by Iran … do not amount to closing the Strait of Hormuz,” the document said.<\/p>\n Tehran also accused the United States and Israel, with the support or facilitation of the UAE and other countries, of creating the current security risks in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n In conclusion, Iran urged the IMO to reject the UAE’s proposal, refrain from ruling on the legal status of the Strait of Hormuz, and ensure that any decisions concerning navigation and safety arrangements in the waterway are made only with the agreement of the coastal states.<\/p>\n