SAOI: No Iranian cargo, vessels seized under UN resolution since snapback invocation
Shipping Association of Iran (SAOI) Secretary Masoud Polmeh said in an interview with ILNA on Monday that no cases of cargo or vessel seizure due to enforcement of UN Security Council Resolution 1929 have thus far occurred since the implementation of the snapback mechanism.
Polmeh addressed the impact of Resolution 1929 enforcement on maritime activities and cooperation with foreign shipping lines, stating, "The subject of Resolution 1929 is that if strong suspicion exists that a vessel is carrying cargo belonging to Iran which is considered prohibited, that cargo will be seized."
He explained that strong suspicion under the resolution means authorities must be certain weapons or equipment prohibited for use in Iran are aboard a vessel, in which case the vessel becomes subject to inspection. "If cargo with these specifications exists on a suspected vessel, only that cargo will be seized and not the vessel," Polmeh said.
"In this cycle the vessel is not seized, and since the implementation of snapback until today no case of cargo or vessel seizure due to enforcement of Resolution 1929 has occurred," he added.
Asked whether this process has caused fear among Iran's partners and affected continued cooperation, Polmeh responded, "No, because prior to snapback all these matters were already in effect and enforcement of Resolution 1929 was already on the agenda, and if prohibited cargo was discovered on a vessel it would be dealt with accordingly."
The UN Security Council on September 29 reinstated several sanctions against Iran’s nuclear activities that had been lifted under the JCPOA, after France, Germany, and the UK triggered the deal’s “snapback” mechanism.
"Currently all companies and shipping lines that are in contact with Iran, aware that such a threat exists, cooperate with our country. Moreover, shipping companies fundamentally do not undertake any illegal actions or operations outside the framework defined by the United Nations," he said.
Responding to a question about whether Iranian vessel and cargo seizures under Resolution 1929 occurred during previous governments, Polmeh stated that in the past years, the country witnessed seizures of its tankers and reciprocated with similar actions, though this does not confer comprehensiveness or legitimacy on such behaviors. He added that vessel seizures occurring in recent months were unrelated to the resolution and instead involved smuggling of fuel.