Iran Criticizes IMO Maritime Security Reports
Tehran says the International Maritime Organization's reports on shipping security and seafarer protection are incomplete and unbalanced.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in International Relations
At the 138th session of the IMO Council in London, the Iranian delegation criticized the organization's reports on maritime security and seafarer protection as biased. Iran says the reports fail to address the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and military attacks on vessels.
Why it matters
Iran's objections place the IMO's neutrality in question at a time when shipping security in the region is contested. The dispute centers on how international maritime bodies assign responsibility for disruptions to global trade routes.
The Iranian delegation rejects a May resolution adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee, and the 138th IMO Council session runs November 2 to November 6, 2026. Whether the IMO will revise its reports in response has not been announced.
The players
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The United Nations specialized agency responsible for regulating international shipping safety, security and environmental performance, headquartered in London.
Iran
The Iranian delegation is the government body presenting objections to the IMO reports on maritime security and seafarer protection.
The details
Iran's delegation asked that future IMO reports address the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and military attacks on vessels, and it raised concerns about difficult conditions facing Iranian seafarers near Sri Lanka. The delegation also protested the repetition of allegations against Iran in the IMO Secretary-General's report.
Timeline
May: Maritime Safety Committee adopts the resolution Iran rejects.
November 2, 2026: 138th IMO Council session begins in London.
November 6, 2026: 138th IMO Council session ends.
Market Landscape
Iran's rejection of the May Maritime Safety Committee resolution places its objections in direct opposition to a position the IMO has already adopted. The dispute shows how contested the IMO's assignment of responsibility for shipping disruptions has become.
Shipping companies and seafarers operating near Iranian ports or the Gulf of Oman may face continued uncertainty over how maritime security risks are assessed by international bodies. The reports under dispute shape guidance used by governments and insurers covering vessel traffic.
The takeaway
International maritime rules depend on bodies whose reports are contested by the states they describe, so readers tracking shipping risk should watch how the IMO responds to objections like Iran's.
What happens next
The 138th IMO Council session continues through November 6, 2026, when further positions on the reports may be stated.
Further reading
For more on the diplomatic disputes shaping this story, see International Relations.
