Speaking after an open debate on the safety and protection of waterways, Amir-Saeid Iravani delivered a sharp rebuke of U.S. policies in regional waters while defending Iran's conduct in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iravani began by affirming that Iran has consistently upheld maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman. For decades, Iran has fulfilled its responsibilities as a coastal State, he said.
The ambassador stated that since February 28, the United States and Israel have waged a war of aggression against Iran in violation of the UN Charter, thereby disrupting maritime security and threatening regional peace.
He further said the United States of imposing a maritime blockade and engaging in unlawful actions, including the seizure of Iranian commercial vessels in international waters and the detention of their crews. Iravani characterized these acts as "piracy and hostage-taking," stating that they violate international law and the UN Charter, and constitute acts of aggression under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314.
He added that none of the countries that have expressed concern for international navigation dared to refer to or condemn the terrorist act" at the day's meeting.
In contrast to U.S. actions, Iravani emphasized that Iran's measures in the Strait of Hormuz are fully grounded in the country's rights and obligations under the law of the sea, as well as its national laws and regulations.
He explained that Iran's lawful measures aim to strike an appropriate balance between the security interests of the coastal State and the continued safe conduct of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in a highly volatile environment created by the U.S.-Israeli aggression.
The ambassador clarified that Iran is not a party to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Accordingly, he said, Iran is not bound by its treaty-based provisions, except to the extent that specific rules reflected therein are universally recognized as customary international law.
Iravani also criticized double standards among some UNSC member states because while asserting that navigational rights must not be threatened, they deliberately ignore the United States' imposition of maritime blockade that threatens international navigation.
The Iranian ambassador concluded by placing responsibility for any disruption to maritime transport squarely on the United States and its supporters.
Hossein Amiri - seyed mohammad kazemi
