10 September 2026 (Navroze Bureau) : Iran has strongly condemned recent US attacks on Iranian oil tankers, calling the strikes a grave violation of international law and urging the United Nations Security Council to take action.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of attacking commercial vessels as part of what it described as a wider campaign of military aggression, naval blockade and economic warfare against Tehran.
Tehran Calls Strikes Aggression
Iran said the US attacks targeted several Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
The Foreign Ministry described the action as an attack on Iranian commercial vessels and said it violated the UN Charter and international law. Tehran also warned that continued US military action could further threaten regional and international peace and security.
Iran Seeks UN Security Council Action
Tehran has called on the UN Security Council and the UN secretary-general to respond to what it considers violations of international peace and security.
Iran said the United Nations has a responsibility to act against what it described as US attacks on Iranian assets and commercial shipping.
US Says Tankers Were Linked to IRGC
The United States has offered a sharply different justification for the strikes.
The US Central Command said American forces targeted Iranian crude-oil carriers that were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network allegedly funding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional proxies.
CENTCOM said the strikes came after the IRGC launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships operating in regional waters.
Maritime Conflict Escalates
The tanker attacks mark a major escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
According to recent reports, the US has struck multiple Iranian tankers, while Iran has responded with attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Iran has claimed responsibility for attacks on 10 ships near the strait, describing the action as retaliation for US strikes on Iranian tankers. The United States has disputed some of Iran’s claims concerning damage to American vessels.
Strait of Hormuz at the Centre of Crisis
The latest confrontation has put the Strait of Hormuz under renewed international scrutiny.
The waterway is critical for global energy supplies, and the escalation has sharply reduced shipping activity. The disruption has also pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel, raising concerns about inflation and energy costs worldwide.
Iran Warns of Further Retaliation
Iran has warned that it will continue defending what it calls its sovereignty and national interests.
Tehran has also threatened further retaliation if Washington continues military operations against Iranian assets and shipping. Iranian officials have discussed creating a restricted or exclusion zone around parts of the Strait of Hormuz.
Global Shipping Faces Growing Risk
The tit-for-tat attacks have increased risks for commercial vessels operating across the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
Several merchant ships have been damaged in recent incidents, while at least one seafarer has been reported dead and another missing amid the latest wave of maritime attacks.
Diplomatic Pressure Builds
The escalation comes as diplomatic efforts to resolve the wider US-Iran confrontation face serious challenges.
The conflict has already disrupted energy markets and regional security, while the latest attacks on commercial shipping raise the stakes for countries dependent on Gulf oil and gas supplies.
A Wider International Crisis
Iran’s appeal to the UN reflects an effort to internationalise the dispute over the legality of the US strikes.
Washington, meanwhile, maintains that its military operations are defensive and aimed at protecting American forces and disrupting Iranian networks that it says support the IRGC and regional armed groups.
With both sides threatening further action, the latest tanker attacks risk turning the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz into an even broader regional and global economic crisis.