Attacks on Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf violate international law

The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, issuing a statement condemning the US military aggression against Iranian oil tankers and vessels, declared: "Within the framework of international humanitarian law, any military operation against civilian vessels, including oil tankers, on international shipping routes and the region's strategic waterways constitutes a clear violation of the principle of distinction and is contrary to human rights standards and the requirements for maintaining international peace and security." The full text of this statement is as follows: The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while expressing deep concern over the escalation of military actions and aggressions against Iranian vessels in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, strongly condemns these actions and considers them contrary to the established principles of international law, human rights standards, and the requirements for maintaining international peace and security. The use of force and military action against vessels belonging to a sovereign state, regardless of any political or security claims, cannot replace legal and peaceful mechanisms for resolving disputes between states. The principle of the prohibition of the threat or use of force, emphasized in Article 2 of the UN Charter, is a fundamental pillar of the international legal order, and no state can consider itself above these principles and international obligations by citing political, economic, or security considerations. In the field of human rights, the protection of the right to life and the prevention of any threat to human life is one of the most fundamental obligations of states and the international community. On the other hand, within the framework of international humanitarian law, any military operation against civilian vessels, including oil tankers, on international shipping routes and the region's strategic waterways constitutes a clear violation of the principle of distinction. Furthermore, in a situation considered a war zone where there is a risk of harm to crew members, civilian personnel, and other individuals not directly participating in hostilities, every action must be taken with the utmost caution, full compliance with the principles of proportionality and necessity, and adherence to other fundamental rules of international humanitarian law. The Human Rights Headquarters also emphasizes that economic pressure through military actions against a country's vital infrastructure and resources cannot be accepted as a legitimate tool for imposing political will on nations. Energy security, freedom of navigation, and safe access to international waters are issues with direct impacts on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and should not become an arena for military pressure and collective punishment. The international community, and especially the United Nations, the Security Council, and international human rights mechanisms, have a responsibility to adopt a responsible, impartial, and legally sound approach to any military action that endangers regional peace and security and human life. Silence or selective reactions to such actions could undermine the credibility of the international human rights protection system and establish a dangerous precedent for justifying the use of force against sovereign states. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while reiterating its commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and the peaceful resolution of disputes, calls on the international community to adopt a responsible stance to prevent the continuation of provocative actions and the use of force in the region, and to call on all parties to observe the principles governing international law, respect for state sovereignty, protection of the right to life, and the guarantee of maritime security in the region's waters. https://taghribnews.com/vdchwqnqw23nxxd.01t2.html taghribnews.com/vdchwqnqw23nxxd.01t2.html