Iran urges UN to act after US seizes commercial vessel Touska

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Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, has formally urged the global body to press the United States to immediately and unconditionally release the Iranian commercial vessel Touska, along with its crew and their families, as reported by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.

In a letter sent on Tuesday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council, Ambassador Iravani raised "urgent concern" over what he described as ongoing international law violations by the United States, including the deliberate targeting of Iranian commercial ships. Iravani detailed the incident involving the Touska, stating that US forces had captured the vessel in the Sea of Oman near Iran's coast a day earlier, calling the move a "hostile and unlawful act."

"This attack involved coercion, intimidation, and reckless endangerment of the lives of the ship's crew and their families," he added. He highlighted the serious legal and security concerns, stating that the seizure of the civilian vessel amounted to a clear violation of core principles of international law, including the fundamental prohibition on aggression.

"The deliberate intimidation and psychological terror inflicted on the crew and their families further aggravate the severity of this act. Such conduct amounts to maritime piracy and represents a dangerous escalation that severely threatens the safety and security of vital shipping routes," he said. Iravani further stated that the incident bears all the characteristics of aggression as outlined in a relevant UN General Assembly resolution, and also represents a breach of the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on April 7.

"This action poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, further destabilising an already fragile situation," he said. The envoy said Iran firmly condemns the move as unlawful and urged the UN to take swift and decisive action by clearly denouncing the attack, holding those responsible accountable, and pressing the United States to release the vessel and everyone on board.

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