UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has made a bold statement on the Gulf crisis, arguing that international law prevents Iran from charging for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. As Labour leader Keir Starmer continues his visit to the region, Cooper emphasized that the waterway is an "international transit route" governed by maritime law, not subject to unilateral control by any single country. Citing the principles of freedom of navigation and UN conventions, Cooper's comments are likely to put pressure on Iran to reconsider its stance on the critical shipping route. With tensions simmering in the Gulf, Cooper's statement is a significant development in the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.
As Keir Starmer continues his Gulf visit, foreign secretary says laws of the sea prevent Tehran from charging for passage of ‘international transit route’Good morning. Keir Starmer is still in the Gulf, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has been doing a round of interviews this morning, ahead of delivering a speech on foreign policy this evening.As Jamie Grierson reports, Cooper has been arguing forcefully that Lebanon must be included in the US-Iran ceasefire.The starting point here is this is an international transit route. It’s international shipping that uses this. This is part of the international law of the sea. This is a a route between the high seas; it is a trading route.As part of the international maritime law, this is a transit route between the high seas.And whether you talk about Dover or Gibraltar or other straits around the world, there may be territorial waters there, but there’s also an international shipping route and an international transit route, which means that freedom of navigation principles apply and that countries cannot simply hijack those kinds of international transit routes and unilaterally apply tolls. They cannot do that as part of the laws of the sea and the United Nations conventions. Continue reading...
