US envoy says Iran Hormuz tolls, mining violate international law
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz accused Iran of violating international law through mining and tolling activities in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a UN media stakeout on Thursday.
“Iran’s indiscriminate mining and tolling efforts in the Strait of Hormuz are textbook violations of international law,” Waltz said.
Waltz said Iran’s newly announced Persian Gulf Straits Authority sought to make commercial vessels “check in and pay a bribe, pay a toll” to use the waterway.
He said the draft Security Council resolution calls on Iran to stop attacks on commercial shipping, remove mines, end tolling and allow humanitarian aid through the strait.
Waltz said the proposal builds on a previous UN resolution on freedom of navigation that passed without opposition and had 136 co-sponsors.
“We’ll see what the Council decides to do in the days to come,” he added.
