Iran criticizes the IMO for neglecting seafarer safety amid U.S. sanctions and highlights stranded Iranian seafarers off Sri Lanka.
Iran has accused the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of bias regarding the safety of seafarers. During the IMO Council meeting held in London, the Tehran administration argued that the maritime blockade imposed by the United States on Iranian ports and the plight of Iranian seafarers stranded off the coast of Sri Lanka were being ignored.
The 138th Council meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), held at its headquarters in London from November 2 to 6, 2026, became a platform for Iran's criticisms regarding maritime safety.
The Iranian delegation claimed that two reports presented by the IMO Secretary-General concerning the safety of maritime transport and the protection of seafarers were incomplete and biased.
The Tehran administration stated that all developments threatening maritime security in the region should be evaluated, insisting that the reports should also include the U.S. maritime blockade on Iranian ports, military attacks on vessels, and damage to Iran's maritime security infrastructure.
The Iranian delegation specifically highlighted the situation of seafarers working on Iranian-affiliated vessels waiting off the coast of Sri Lanka.
It was reported that some Iranian-flagged tankers could not return to their country due to the blockade imposed by the U.S. and were waiting in anchorage areas in the Indo-Pacific region.
Iranian representatives argued that the working conditions and fundamental rights of the seafarers on these vessels were not adequately considered by the international community.
The delegation emphasized that there should be no discrimination against seafarers in terms of nationality or political disagreements, requesting the IMO to take urgent action.
Arsenio Dominguez, IMO Secretary-General, had previously stated that the organization's primary responsibilities include maritime safety, maritime security, environmental protection, and the welfare of seafarers.
In an interview with The Maritime Executive, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed that the organization does not have the authority to intervene in geopolitical disputes to resolve them.
Dominguez noted that such political issues fall under the responsibility of the United Nations Secretary-General and the Security Council.
He assessed that direct intervention by the IMO in the resolution of political conflicts could negatively affect the organization's ability to achieve international consensus on technical and regulatory matters.
Iran's criticisms came at a time when attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf were ongoing.
The IMO stated that it closely monitors the safety of thousands of seafarers affected by conflicts in the region, emphasizing that its priority is to protect the lives of personnel working on ships.
According to official information published by the organization, the voluntary evacuation mechanism established for the safe evacuation of commercial vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz is still suspended.
The Iranian delegation requested that the IMO address all maritime security threats without discrimination in its future reports and evaluate the documents presented by Iran.
Iran also reiterated its rejection of a decision adopted by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee in May, describing it as baseless from a political and legal standpoint.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
