TEHRAN (Iran News) – Ambassador and Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN firmly rejected unsubstantiated allegations made by the U.S. and UK against Iran regarding Mercer Street vessel incident.
In her statement addressing the United Nations Security Council on “Maintenance of international peace and security: Enhancing Maritime Security: A case for international cooperation”, Zahra Ershadi said that “Regarding the politically motivated statements made by the United States and the United Kingdom in this meeting against Iran concerning the Mercer Street vessel incident, I reiterate, once again, our firm rejection of these unsubstantiated allegations.”
“According to the World Bank Group, over 80% of international trade are transported by sea and the volume of seaborn trade is expected to double by 2030 and quadruple by 2050,” she added.
“These figures alone prove the importance of oceans and seas in the global economy and confirm the vital importance of, and the need for, the perseveration of maritime security as a global common good,” she noted.
“Enjoying the longest coasts in such strategically important waterways as the Persian Gulf, the Oman Sea and the Hurmuz Strait, as well as high maritime shipping capacity, and also as an important oil and gas producing country, the Islamic Republic of Iran is highly interested in, and attaches great importance to, maritime security,” Iranian diplomat said.
“Maritime security is key in ensuring freedom of navigation, facilitating international communication, promoting peaceful uses of the seas and oceans and their resources, the conservation of their living resources, and the preservation of the marine environment, as well as promoting the economic and social advancement of all peoples and strengthening of peace, security, cooperation and friendly relations among all nations,” she said.
“As a basic principle, the primary responsibility for ensuring maritime security, including by effectively combating maritime crimes notably piracy and armed robbery at sea, rests with individual States consistent with their relevant obligations under international law,” she added.
“When needed, efforts to counter maritime crimes may be complemented, at the regional level, by cooperation and partnership of States of the region concerned, and at the high seas, through international cooperation,” Ershadi said.
“Nevertheless, all such activities must be conducted in full conformity with the basic principles of international law, particularly full respect for the sovereignty of States and refraining from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of States,” she added.
She further said he Israeli regime cannot deflect attention away from its acts of naval terrorism by throwing unproven accusations against Iran of destabilizing activity, says the Islamic Republic’s deputy UN envoy.
“Such accusations can, in no way, cover up the Israeli regime’s [own] acts of terrorism against commercial naval navigation. Over less than two years, the regime [itself] has attacked more than 10 commercial vessels carrying oil or humanitarian goods in regional waters,” she said.
She, meanwhile, pointed to a subsequent accusation that had alleged that the attack on the Israeli tanker had originated from Yemen.
The latter accusation was used towards supposedly explaining a special forces’ deployment by the UK to Yemen. The deployment allegedly sought to target the “terrorists,” who had been “responsible” for the attack on the Israeli vessel.
British special forces arrive in Yemen to hunt down those whom the UK alleges are behind a drone attack on an Israeli-linked tanker, the Daily Express reports.
She also said such actions showed that the UK and others had not yet “learned from their defeat in invading Yemen.”
She was referring to the Western allies’ support for a 2015-present Saudi-led war on the Arab nation. The war has stopped short of all of its goals, including bringing the Yemeni people to their knees.
