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The United Nations on Tuesday strongly condemned the latest attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, urging an immediate end to the escalating violence between the United States and Iran after at least two seafarers were killed overnight.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN’s maritime agency, described the attacks as deeply alarming and called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
“We are gravely concerned by the latest attacks,” an IMO spokesperson said, adding that the agency is working with relevant authorities to verify the circumstances surrounding the incidents.
“IMO wholly condemns these attacks. The cycle of escalation must end.”
The latest strikes came as the US-Iran conflict entered a more dangerous phase, with renewed military exchanges threatening one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
The IMO warned that continued hostilities could further endanger international shipping and global trade, stressing that all sides must avoid further escalation and return to dialogue.
“IMO urges all parties to choose the path that protects seafarers’ lives and the freedom of navigation, so that this dangerous situation does not spiral further out of control,” the spokesperson said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also voiced concern over reports that the Strait of Hormuz could remain closed, warning that any prolonged disruption would have far-reaching humanitarian and economic consequences.
“The reports on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are very alarming because of their impact on human rights far beyond the region,” Türk said. “It is a vital lifeline on which millions rely.”
He warned that disruptions to the movement of food, medicines and other essential goods could trigger severe humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences worldwide.
Türk called for an immediate halt to attacks by both Iran and the United States and urged all parties to return to the ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations in line with international law.
Throughout the conflict, the IMO has been closely monitoring maritime security in the Gulf to protect more than 20,000 seafarers operating in the region, including thousands stranded aboard vessels unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency successfully coordinated the evacuation of around 11,000 seafarers in June but suspended the operation on June 25 following renewed attacks.
The IMO is also participating in a UN-led Task Force on the Strait of Hormuz, established in March 2026 to coordinate international efforts to safeguard maritime security and freedom of navigation in the strategically vital waterway. Source: UN News
