What is it about?
This article examines some of Iran’s seizures and harassment of merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which have increased since 2019. It places these incidents in the wider geopolitical context, arguing that they form part of a broader struggle between Iran and Western states following the reimposition of international sanctions in 2018. The article shows how these events raise important legal questions about the status of the Strait of Hormuz under international law and about whether Iran’s actions can be considered lawful. The central argument is that Iran cannot lawfully justify these ship seizures as “countermeasures” in response to sanctions. Instead, they are better understood as unlawful acts of retaliation. The article further argues that Iran lacked any valid jurisdictional basis to take control of these vessels. As a result, the seizures are unlawful both under international law and under Iran’s own legal system.
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This page is a summary of: Economic Warfare at Sea: International Sanctions and Iran’s Seizures of Merchant Ships, December 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004748736_013.
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