Russia's UN ambassador defends Iran, compares Western countries to pirates
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- Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia defended Iran’s right to restrict maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz during wartime.
- Russia and China previously vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on freedom of navigation in the strait.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations accused Western countries of hypocrisy at a Security Council meeting Monday, saying that Iran has every right to limit traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
“There was an attempt to pin full responsibility on Iran as if it was Iran which attacked its neighbors and Iran is deliberately obstructing the navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” said Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia. “In times of war, a coastal state that is under attack may limit navigation in its territorial waters for the purpose of security.”
Read more: US “humiliated” by Iran, says German Chancellor
Earlier this month, Russia and China vetoed a Security Council draft resolution aimed at securing freedom of navigation in the strait.
Nebenzia went further Monday, comparing Western countries to pirates. He also denounced Ukrainian attacks using long-range aerial and naval drones against Russian-linked tankers in the Mediterranean and European support for Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian trade vessels in the Black Sea.
“Unlike pirates who raise their black flags with a skull and crossbones in their vessels, Western countries are attempting to conceal their lawless actions with references to unilateral coercive measures,” Nebenzia said.
“This is merely a fig leaf, the purpose of which is to conceal the fact that the (European Union) is engaged in blatant robbery at sea,” the diplomat added.
