UNCLOS and Freedom of Navigation
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — to which both Iran and Oman are parties — enshrines the doctrine of "transit passage" for international straits used for navigation between one part of the high seas and another. Under transit passage (Article 37-44), all ships and aircraft enjoy the right of continuous and expeditious passage, and coastal states cannot suspend this right.
- Iran has historically disputed the applicability of UNCLOS transit passage provisions to the Strait of Hormuz, claiming broader territorial jurisdiction.
- The US and most maritime powers regard the Strait of Hormuz as an international strait under UNCLOS, giving warships and commercial vessels an unimpedable right of transit passage.
- Iran's 2026 blockade threat constitutes a direct challenge to established international maritime law, similar to past IRGC seizures of tankers (2019, 2021, 2023).
● Tracked since March 02, 2026 · last seen June 12, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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