News

The Chairman of the Islamic Republic of
Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), Mohammad Hossein Dajmar, says Tehran will
retaliate if its cargo ships come under inspection.

"To protect its national interests, Iran would be sure to use its
legal rights to retaliate if any Iranian ships are inspected," Dajmar
said in an interview with IRNA on Sunday.

"According to numerous international rules, all countries have the
right to protect their waters," he said, arguing further that Iran "can
inspect suspicious ships to confront those countries which support the
resolutions."

The UN Security Council passed a US-sponsored anti-Iran resolution
on June 9 that imposes restrictions on the country's shipping industry
in addition to other sectors.

Under the new sanctions regime, countries have the authority to
inspect cargo ships, heading to or from Iran, in their own territorial
waters.

Meanwhile, the Iranian official rejected an earlier report claiming
that British warships had inspected Iranian cargo ships in the Persian
Gulf.

Dajmar described the report as a mere 'rumor,' saying that no Iranian ship has so far been inspected.