Six Gulf states reject Iran’s claims over Strait of Hormuz

Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, on May 13, jointly condemned and rejected Iran’s claims regarding what Tehran described as “management” or “new legal rules” for the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional statements reported by the Bahrain News Agency.

The countries stated that the Iranian remarks in question do not create any legal right for Iran, nor do they alter the legal status of the strait. They also do not undermine the rights of other coastal states or the international community’s right to safe and unrestricted navigation, in accordance with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The letter further rejected any attempt to provide legal or political cover for practices that could obstruct international shipping, impose unlawful fees, plant or threaten to plant mines, or discriminate against, threaten, or endanger vessels, as well as jeopardise the safety of seafarers and global supply chains.

By Jeyhun Aghazada