The attacks on Naji-15 and Naji-16 near Hormozgan province are a war crime, a top diplomat told the UN.
Iran has officially accused the United States of deliberately hitting two of its search and rescue ships in the Persian Gulf, calling the attack a war crime. The accusations come as the United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports and continues to attack the Iranian Navy.
The accusations were made clear in the letter on Friday, sent by Gholamhossein Darzi, deputy envoy of Iran to the United Nations to the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, the President of the Security Council of the United Nations, the Head of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez, and the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Darzi said Naji-15 and Naji-16 were shot down early on Thursday near the coast of Hormozgan Province while they were engaged. “only” in search and rescue operations, causing extensive damage. The diplomat did not mention any casualties.
“Deliberately targeting ships assigned to search and rescue operations at sea is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the international law of the sea”Darzi said, as quoted by Press TV.
He added that they “The only mission is to save the lives of people in distress at sea” regardless of their relationship, insisting that targeting rescue vessels “it is tantamount to a war crime.” Darzi went on to say that Iranian rescue boats and naval ambulances have been repeatedly targeted since the US-Israeli operation against Iran began on February 28.
In early March, Iranian media reported that US and Israeli airstrikes hit the only marine ambulance traveling between Hormuz Island and Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, although without casualties.
US officials have not responded to the accusations, although US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces have been attacking the Iranians. “sea capability, missile and drone storage facilities” and coastal targets to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian and commercial shipping.
Tehran’s accusations come amid an escalating dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, with the US maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports. Iran has said ships can pass through the channel if they comply with its regulations.
On Saturday, Axios reported that US President Donald Trump halted attacks on Iran after nearly two weeks of nightly attacks to make room for diplomacy. A New York Times report, however, suggested that the suspension was caused by concerns that the Pentagon was reducing air defense missiles.
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