Call for ending attacks on ships in Red Sea

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities against ships and seafarers navigating through the strategic Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The call comes in response to increasing maritime threats in these crucial waterways.

The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee adopted a resolution in London condemning these acts as "illegal and unjustifiable," highlighting their direct threat to the freedom of navigation and the substantial disruptions they cause to regional and global trade.

This resolution marks the first such formal stance by the IMO member states since the seizure of the MV Galaxy Leader cargo ship by the Yemeni Houthi group in November in the Red Sea.

"Since then, around 50 dangerous and destabilizing maritime attacks have occurred, resulting in the loss of several seafarers' lives, while the 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader remain hostages," the agency reported, calling for their "immediate and unconditional release."

The resolution criticized the Houthis' actions for endangering lives, impeding vital humanitarian aid deliveries, increasing the cost of such aid, and destabilizing the region. It also emphasized the importance of resolving the crisis through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez appealed to governments and relevant organizations to assist affected seafarers and to intensify efforts to resolve the crisis. He highlighted the Red Sea's significance as one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, especially for oil and fuel shipments.

United States and Britain block Iran from hosting International Maritime Organization

Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has condemned the actions of the United States and UK Britain governments blocking Iran from hosting International Maritime Organization (IMO), a parallel event of World Maritime Day.

According to Reuters the United States has blocked Iran from hosting the annual meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in October this year.

Reacting to this action, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Friday that the US once again demonstrated its coercive and arrogant nature by hindering Iran to host the International Maritime Organization conference.

Strongly condemning the US move, Kanaani said the US move, supported by Britain, showed that there are no limits to the political exploitation of technical and specialized institutions of the United Nations by Washington, even if it tarnishes the international credibility of these organizations.

Following is the text of the PMO statement reacting to this action:

The Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) as the duly authorized maritime administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran reacted against the actions of the Governments of the United States and Britain in preventing the Iranian hosting of the IMO Parallel Event of World Maritime Day in 2023, and declared in an official statement, “Such an action is a clear sign of desperation and pettiness of a few treacherous and oppressive governments, and will not weaken the resolve of the Iranian government and nation, and the port and maritime community thereof, to participate actively in IMO activities and progress toward sea-based economy.”

According to the official news website of the PMO, the above statements continued, “The hosting of the mentioned event in October 2023 was cancelled under the vain efforts of the US and British governments, and the support of a few western governments foolishly following the US government, under groundless accusations that Iran intended to jeopardize maritime safety and security.

Iran as an undisputed regional power continuously strives to promote maritime safety and security, and protect the marine environment, as confirmed and commended by the IMO in 2011.

The US and British governments have always resorted to threats, intimidation and even destructive operations, whether in territorial and regional waters or high seas, in order to violate the rights of this country to its vessels and cargos, against international laws, and disrupt such peaceful maritime commerce, while threatening safety and security of the seafarers.

It is our firm belief that such illegal, immoral and non-technical actions led by two oppressive governments, against an event of festivity and commendation of seafarers and maritime community, arises from their outrageous failures and fiascos in exerting economic pressure and sanctions against Iran, focusing on the petroleum and maritime industries, which further proves their evil intentions and desperation in the face of the honorable Iranian nation on one side, and their manipulation and abuse of international specialized and technical organizations for their political agendas on the other.

We are certain that such actions as a clear sign of desperation and pettiness of a few treacherous and oppressive governments will not weaken the resolve of the Iranian government and nation, and the port and maritime community thereof, to participate actively in IMO activities and progress toward sea-based economy.

 

 

Israeli attack on Iranian ship Saviz indicates change in modus operandi

An Iranian vessel was attacked in the Red Sea as Iran and the West resumed nuclear talks in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers. Saudi and American media outlets claimed that Israel was behind the attack. The Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reported that an “Israeli commando” attached “a magnetic explosive device” to an Iranian vessel in the Red Sea.

The Tasnim news agency confirmed the attack and identified the vessel as “Iran Saviz.” It reported “The incident happened after the explosion of limpet mines attached to the hull of the ship.”

A day later, Iran officially commented on the issue. The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming the attack.

“The Iranian merchant ship Saviz sustained minor damage in the Red Sea off the coast of Djibouti on April 6, 2021, due to an explosion, the cause of which is being investigated,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Ministry’s spokesman said. 

He said the vessel has been deployed to the region in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and it has been involved in ensuring maritime security. 

“As already officially announced and based on the arrangements made with the IMO, the non-military Saviz ship had been stationed in the Red Sea region and the Gulf of Aden in order to ensure maritime security along shipping lanes and to counter pirates,” explained the spokesman.

“The ship practically served as Iran’s logistical station (for technical support and logistics) in the Red Sea; so, the specifications and mission of this vessel had already been officially announced to the International Maritime Organization,” he added.

Iran didn’t point the finger at anyone. But, The New York Times suggested that Israel was behind the attack. “The Israelis had notified the United States that its forces had struck the vessel,” the American newspaper quoted a US official as saying.

Although, the official said that the Israelis had termed the attack ‘retaliation’ for alleged earlier Iranian strikes on Israeli vessels, but the timing of the attack strongly indicated a link between the resumption of nuclear talks in Vienna and Israeli efforts to derail those talks.

The Times implicitly pointed to this link, saying the attack came as progress was reported on the first day of the Vienna talks, which are aimed to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - the very deal that Israel has been working hard to sabotage since 2015.

Therefore, Israel may have intended to send a message to the Biden administration that it will do whatever it can to prevent a revival of the JCPOA. Israel’s modus operandi in the latest attack also suggests a change in Israel’s approach. Israel has reportedly been involved in a shadowy naval war with Iran in recent years.

Several Western news media reported that Israel has been attacking Iranian vessels carrying oil and other commodities since 2019 in a bid to spoil Iran’s economic ties with other countries. These attacks mostly went unnoticed and Israel refused to publicize them until most recently. 

The Israelis would often attack Iranian commercial ships deep into the night using helicopters equipped with machine guns from a distance of many kilometers, a source familiar with the matter told the Tehran Times. 

The Israeli attacks were more of a harassment nature than an operation meant to inflict real damage, according to the source. 

The attack on the Saviz, however, indicates a new modus operandi. First, it was reportedly done with a limpet mine attached to the hull of the Iranian vessel by an Israeli commando. Second, it was carried out early in the morning, a clear indication that the attacker wanted it to be publicized. Leaking the news of the attack to Al Arabiya and The New York Times left little doubt about the intention of the attacker. 

Israel seems to be busy working to prevent the US from returning to its commitments under the JCPOA. If the US is willing to revive the nuclear deal then it needs to pay more attention to Israeli machinations.