Iravani: Iran Reserves Right to Counter Vessel Seizures

Amir Saeid Iravani, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the United Nations, has asserted Iran’s “full right to counter” U.S. actions following the seizure of Iranian vessels. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Iravani demanded the immediate release of the seized ships, cargoes, and property.

In the letter, Iravani condemned the U.S. actions, claiming that under international law, the Islamic Republic has the right to respond to what he described as “brazen acts.”

He had previously characterized the seizure of Iranian ships as “piracy” and “banditry in international waters.”

This stance comes after Iravani stated during Monday’s Security Council meeting on the Strait of Hormuz crisis that the Islamic Republic is not a member of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He noted that Tehran does not consider itself bound by its provisions, except in cases recognized as customary international law.