UNITED NATIONS
\nThe UN maritime agency, IMO, condemned overnight attacks on shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz that killed at least two seafarers as fresh strikes were reported Tuesday in the escalating US-Iran war. \u201cWe are gravely concerned by the latest attacks,\u201d an IMO spokesperson said, adding that the agency is urgently working with authorities to confirm the circumstances.
\n\u201cIMO wholly condemns these attacks. The cycle of escalation must end.\u201d The maritime agency said it has been working with parties in the region after Israel and the United States began an intense bombing campaign against Iran in late February drawing counterstrikes across the Gulf against US allies by Tehran. Recent days have seen a major escalation in strikes, which has broken the fragile interim truce established under the Pakistan-mediated US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed in mid-June.
\nThe IMO\u2019s efforts to alleviate the closure of the strait since hostilities erupted include establishing evacuation routes for ships stuck in the critical commercial waterway through which 20 per cent of oil and natural gas exports used to pass. All parties have a responsibility to show restraint, avoid further escalation and return to dialogue, IMO said. The escalation which began last week has seen multiple strikes on ships trying to navigate the Strait of Hormuz.
\n\u201cIMO urges all parties to choose the path that protect seafarers\u2019 lives and the freedom of navigation, so that this dangerous situation does not spiral further out of control,\u201d the IMO spokesperson said. \u201cReports on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are very alarming for their impact on human rights far beyond the region,\u201d said Volker Turk , UN human rights chief on Tuesday. \u201cIt is a vital lifeline on which millions are reliant.\u201d
\nDisruptions to the flow of food, medicines, and other necessary commodities have severe socioeconomic and humanitarian consequences, both regionally and globally, he continued, adding that diplomacy, restraint and de-escalation must be prioritized.\u201d Reported attacks by Iran and the US \u201cmust stop immediately\u201d, Turk said, urging an immediate return to the ceasefire and its implementation consistent with international law.
\nThroughout the months-long war, the UN maritime agency said it has been closely monitoring developments to protect more than 20,000 seafarers in the region, including those stranded on vessels unable to exit the Strait of Hormuz. In June, IMO said it managed to safely evacuate around 11,000 seafarers but paused the initiative on 25 June following a string of attacks. IMO said it is also participating in a UN-led dedicated Task Force on the Strait of Hormuz, established in March 2026. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS The UN maritime agency, IMO, condemned overnight attacks on shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz that killed at least two seafarers as fresh strikes were reported Tuesday in the escalating US-Iran war. \u201cWe are gravely concerned by the latest attacks,\u201d an IMO spokesperson said, adding that the agency is urgently working […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":478617,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-556555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n