GENEVA – Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), delivered a stern warning on Monday, asserting that no nation possesses the authority to block or charge fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to the press on April 13, Dominguez emphasized that international law is clear regarding the freedom of navigation. "Under international law, no state has the right to prohibit the right of transit passage or innocent passage through international straits," he stated.
The comments come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Iran, which currently controls the Strait of Hormuz due to ongoing conflict, has reportedly begun imposing tolls on vessels allowed to pass through the strategic waterway. In a retaliatory move, the United States commenced a counter-blockade of the strait today, a move Dominguez suggested may not be the most effective solution.
"Introducing tolls for international straits contradicts the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and customary international law," the Secretary-General noted. "This could set a very dangerous precedent for global maritime trade."
Regarding the U.S. blockade, Dominguez remarked that such measures do not necessarily make the problem easier to solve. He urged all parties to focus on de-escalation to normalize shipping operations.
However, he added a pragmatic observation: since the number of vessels passing through the strait has already been severely limited by the war, the additional blockade by the U.S. might not "noticeably worsen" an already dire situation.
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