WANA (Apr 27) – Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has strongly condemned the reported admission by judicial authorities in the United States regarding orders to seize Iranian oil tankers and confiscate their cargo.

 

In a post on X, Baghaei described the move as “nothing short of the formal legalization of piracy and armed plunder in international waters.”

 

He added that such actions amount to a return to the era when pirates dominated the seas—“with the difference that they now operate under official government orders, sail under national flags, and label their plunder as law enforcement.”

 

Emphasizing the need for accountability, Baghaei characterized the actions as “shameless” and a clear violation of international norms. He warned that such conduct delivers an unprecedented blow to international law and free trade, while posing a serious threat to the fundamental principles of maritime security.

 

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson concluded by stressing that the United States must be held fully accountable for the consequences of these actions.