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Iran said on Tuesday that it has the right to take “necessary and proportionate measures” in the Strait of Hormuz and blamed the US for disruptions to shipping through the vital waterway.
The country's UN mission said Tehran was “not a party” to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and was therefore not bound by its provisions.
“As the main coastal state within whose territorial sea the Strait of Hormuz lies, Iran has the legitimate and legal right to take necessary and proportionate measures to address emerging security threats, ensure safe navigation and prevent the misuse of the Strait of Hormuz for hostile or military purposes,” the mission said in a statement posted on X.
Iran said any disruption to maritime transport in the Gulf and the strait “lies with the US, whose unlawful actions endanger international navigation".
Navigation through the strait is governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which grants all ships and aircraft an unrestricted right of “transit passage”.
According to the convention, “transit passage” through international straits cannot be blocked or denied by bordering nations, such as Iran.
The statement comes after growing international criticism of Iran’s effective closure of the strait following US and Israeli strikes in late February, which triggered a wider regional conflict. The narrow waterway, which handles roughly a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, has become a central flashpoint in negotiations over ending the conflict and curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.
The shutdown of the strait has sent shockwaves through the global economy. Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, on Tuesday accused Iran of carrying out “piracy” in the strait by threatening commercial shipping and demanding payments from vessels transiting it.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Palestinian question, Mr Danon said Iran was attempting to exploit the global economy through its actions in the strait. “What we are witnessing in the Strait of Hormuz is a direct assault on international law,” Mr Danon said.
“Commercial vessels are being threatened. Navigation is being obstructed. Safe passage is no longer guaranteed.” He added: “Let us be clear, this is not regulation, like they say. This is not security. This is piracy.”
The US President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday that Iran was in a state of collapse and wants Washington to open the Strait of Hormuz while it sorts out its leadership.
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a 'State of Collapse.' They want us to 'Open the Hormuz Strait,' as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!)” Mr Trump said.
