The United Arab Emirates (UAE) welcomes the decision of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, during its 36th extraordinary session, to strongly condemn Iran’s threats and attacks on ships and the alleged closure of the Strait of Hormuz as contrary to the objectives of the IMO and posing a serious danger to life, especially to seafarers, and a serious risk to the marine environment.
The Council condemned in the strongest terms Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan, calling the attacks a violation of international law.
The declaration was submitted by the UAE and co-sponsored by over 115 IMO member states, the most co-sponsors in IMO’s history, demonstrating the global impact and condemnation of Iran’s actions and the shared responsibility of the international community to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
With this decision, the IMO Council demands that Iran immediately refrain from any actions or threats aimed at closing, obstructing or otherwise impeding international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz or against merchant or commercial vessels in and around the Strait. It also reaffirms that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels must be respected. The IMO Council stressed the paramount importance of preserving the safety and well-being of seafarers and further recalled UN Security Council resolution 2817 (2026), which reaffirms that any attempt to impede legitimate transit passage or freedom of navigation through international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. The declaration urges IMO commissions to consider the implications of the situation for the implementation of IMO instruments and to take appropriate action. The UAE also welcomes the Council’s adoption of the proposal by Japan, which encourages the establishment of a framework for a maritime security corridor to facilitate the safe evacuation of seafarers from the Strait. Mohammed Khamis Said Alkabi, Permanent Representative of the The UAE at the IMO welcomed the Council’s declaration, saying: “The Council and the international community at large have spoken out clearly today to demand that Iran abide by its obligations under international law and allow commercial and merchant vessels to sail freely and safely through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for energy supplies and the global economy.” The UAE stresses that the Strait of Hormuz is not only a vital energy corridor through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass, but also a critical artery for global trade, including fertilizers, minerals, petrochemicals and essential commodities. Any disruption has profound implications for global markets, economic stability and the cost of living worldwide, especially in vulnerable regions.
The UAE reiterates that any attempt to use the Strait as a tool for economic coercion or to threaten international shipping is unacceptable and risks undermining both regional stability and the broader global economic order.
The UAE remains committed to engaging in all relevant multilateral fora to effectively address the impact of Iran’s unlawful actions. The threat to maritime security and freedom of navigation deeply undermines regional and international stability and must be addressed.