Iran files protest at UN over US “piracy” claims

Iran has formally lodged a protest with the United Nations Security Council over the detention of its vessels by the United States, accusing Washington of unlawful actions at sea.

In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General and the president of the Security Council, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned what he described as maritime “piracy” by the United States, according to Tasnim News Agency.

The letter includes a strongly worded statement criticising the legal justification for the actions: “Reference to domestic norms, which are inherently illegal, cannot under any circumstances justify such a heinous crime committed through the use of force. Such behaviour is an example of unlawful coercion, interference in legitimate international trade, and illegal seizure of property, and also sets a dangerous precedent that seriously undermines the rule of law at the international level.”

By Tamilla Hasanova