UN suspends ship escorts through Strait of Hormuz after vessel attack

The UN International Maritime Organization suspended its operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on a commercial vessel, sparking concerns about whether a provisional deal to end the Iran war will survive.

According to the British navy agency, the cargo ship was struck near Oman by a projectile, just hours after Tehran cautioned vessels against taking routes it had not approved. 

In this connection, the Iranian authority said: “ Consequences arising from passage through unauthorized routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander.” 

Concerning the situation, US President Donald Trump did not release a statement. 

However, Trump warned this month that if Iran did not comply with an agreement aimed at a ceasefire and reopening the strait then the US would retaliate military strikes against the territory.

The IMO was helping to get stranded ships out of the strait where they had been stranded for months since the start of war in February. 

IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez released a statement: “ It decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to confirm that the necessary safety guarantees are in place for the ships on our evacuation list."  

The US Energy Secretary earlier clarified that shipments through the straits were approaching levels seen before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. 

Consequently, other shipping data showed that crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz rose this week to their highest level since the massive geopolitical tensions escalated in February. 

It is crucial to note that Iran took strategic command of the vital chokepoint; however, disrupting supply chains and largely impacting the global economy. 

While disagreements remained over financial incentives for Iran, nuclear inspections, all against the backdrop of consecutive wars in Lebanon. 

On Thursday, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf rejected US claims that Iran could allocate its released funds to buy US agricultural products. 

Instead the preliminary peace deal sets up two months of talks to tackle significant issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.