Iran has told the United Nations Security Council that it reserves all rights under international law to respond to the United States seizure of Iranian-linked commercial vessels, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
In a letter dated Wednesday, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said he was bringing to the urgent attention of the Security Council what he described as continuing internationally wrongful acts by Washington.
According to the letter, the complaint relates to the reported seizure of two vessels identified as the M/T Majestic and M/T Tifani, which Tehran says were carrying Iranian oil.
Iravani accused the United States of deliberately targeting commercial shipping and described the operation as another piracy-style action carried out under the framework of ongoing American pressure measures against Iran.
He referred to a previous public statement by a U.S. attorney, saying it amounted to an explicit admission of responsibility for the seizures.
The Iranian envoy said the statement openly celebrated the confiscation of the two vessels and the taking of approximately 3.8 million barrels of Iranian oil.
According to Tehran, U.S. forces boarded and seized the vessels on the high seas, which Iran says violates accepted principles of international law and freedom of navigation.
The ambassador argued that such conduct reflects what he described as Washington’s continued disregard for legal norms and international obligations.
He further stated that the actions breach the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which generally prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of states.
Iran also claimed the seizures could fall within the definition of aggression under UN General Assembly Resolution 3314, which outlines circumstances in which one state’s use of force against another may constitute aggression.
Beyond legal arguments, Tehran said the seizures threaten maritime safety and security while worsening instability in an already volatile region.
The ambassador said actions against vessels engaged in what Iran described as legitimate commercial activity risk heightening tensions across key global shipping routes.
He also accused the United States of disguising coercive foreign actions as domestic legal enforcement measures that lack standing under international law.
According to the letter, the United States bears full international responsibility for the consequences of the seizures.
Iravani stressed that Iran maintains the right to counter such actions in accordance with international law, though he did not specify what form any response might take.
Iran formally called on the Security Council to condemn the vessel seizures, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all seized ships, cargo, and related property, and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The dispute comes amid broader tensions between Washington and Tehran over sanctions, maritime access, and regional security.
Iran has repeatedly denounced U.S. sanctions and enforcement measures as unlawful economic warfare, while successive American administrations have defended them as legitimate tools to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions, regional influence, and sanctions evasion networks.
Tehran also criticized what it described as a continuing U.S. blockade despite an earlier announcement by President Donald Trump of a temporary two-week pause in military pressure against Iran.
Iranian authorities argue that subsequent enforcement actions violated the spirit or terms of that pause.
The letter also referenced Iran’s decision to restrict passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints.
Tehran said only vessels obtaining permission from relevant Iranian authorities would be allowed passage during the current standoff.
Any disruption in Hormuz is closely watched by global markets because a significant share of the world’s seaborne crude oil passes through the narrow waterway.
Iran additionally reiterated that it rejects returning to negotiations with Washington while the current blockade measures remain in place.
The latest exchange underscores how maritime enforcement actions can rapidly widen into diplomatic and security crises.
Attention now turns to whether the Security Council will formally address Iran’s complaint and whether either side takes steps to reduce tensions in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive regions.
