A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization announced on Thursday that its executive body voted in favor of reversing the acceptance of an Iranian offer to host a maritime event in October, in response to a U.S. proposal.
This move is likely to escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran, following Iran's attempt earlier this month to seize the "Richmond Voyager" tanker operated by American oil giant Chevron in international waters of the Gulf.
Iran had proposed to host an event in Tehran for maritime shipping in late October of this year, parallel to World Maritime Day organized by the International Maritime Organization, and the council had accepted the request in a session held in 2015.
The United States suggested, in a working paper seen by Reuters and submitted to the council meeting this week, that the decision be revoked. The U.S. stated in the paper, co-sponsored by the UK, that "in the past two years, Iran has attacked or harassed over 20 commercial vessels or attempted to seize them."
It added: "Iran has seized or attempted to seize commercial vessels without reason, warning, or prior explanation." The paper also noted that Iran fired upon the "Richmond Voyager" using live ammunition, "threatening the lives of the sailors on board," which prompted the proposal.
The spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization said that a majority of member states in the council voted in favor of the U.S. proposal on Thursday, effectively canceling the acceptance of the Iranian offer. The council includes forty countries.
The U.S. Navy indicated in July that it intervened to prevent Iran from seizing two commercial tankers, including the "Richmond Voyager" operated by Chevron, in the Gulf of Oman, marking the latest in a series of attacks on vessels in the region since 2019.
Three sources told Reuters that the U.S. confiscated Iranian oil loaded on a tanker at sea in an enforcement operation in April. Ship tracking data on Thursday indicated that the tanker is docked outside the port of Houston.
