WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The UN's International Maritime Organization has decided to temporarily pause its evacuation operation in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman, pending further clarity.
'Following the launch of the IMO's evacuation plan, through which several vessels have already been successfully evacuated, I have decided to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region,' IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said.
In the wake of a temporary US-Iran deal, the UN maritime agency had announced plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
IMO began evacuating vessels from the region this week, in cooperation with Member States and industry.
The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported on Thursday that a projectile hit a ship sailing southeast of Oman's port of Dahit.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had warned that attempts to cross the strait along an IMO-designated route would be dangerous, and urged vessels to coordinate with the Iranian authorities.
The IMO chief said the attacked vessel did not transit under its evacuation framework. 'I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained'.
'Today marks the Day of the Seafarer, underlining the importance of ensuring that the continued evacuation of the thousands of seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf can proceed without the risk of them becoming collateral victims in this geopolitical conflict,' he said in a statement Thursday.
Meanwhile, the United States and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have rejected any move to levy tolls or fees, and attempts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.
A meeting between the foreign ministers of the United States and the GCC member states in Manama emphasized that lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran's threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region. The Ministers also emphasized the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, noting that free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation, including the right of transit passage as guaranteed under international law, remains essential to regional and global security.
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