Following confirmation of an attack on a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the United Nations maritime regulatory body announced on Thursday, June 25, that it is temporarily suspending operations to evacuate hundreds of stranded ships and thousands of seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Reuters news agency quoted Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as saying, “I was informed of today’s attack on a ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. This vessel was not transiting under the framework of the IMO evacuation operation. However, I have decided to temporarily suspend this operation until I can reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees are in place.”
The UN’s International Maritime Organization has been assisting in the exit of hundreds of vessels from the Persian Gulf, which have been trapped in the region since the outbreak of the war between Iran and Israel in late February.
On Thursday morning, June 25, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an attack by an unidentified object on a cargo ship near Oman.
The incident occurred just hours after Iran issued a stern warning to maritime traffic against traversing any routes that have not been officially approved by Tehran.
