Iran condemns US tanker strikes as 'illegal, aggressive'
10:02, 06/09/2026, SundayU: Update: 10:19, 06/09/2026, Sunday
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Tehran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Washington of war crimes and violating the UN Charter after US forces disabled three Iranian oil tankers in regional waters, warning that continued 'state terrorism' would be met with firm resistance to defend national sovereignty.
Iran cites 'war crimes'
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday strongly condemned US strikes on three Iranian crude oil tankers as "illegal and aggressive," accusing Washington of pursuing a naval blockade and economic war that threatens international shipping lanes. The ministry said the attacks represented a dangerous escalation in hostilities between the two powers, which have exchanged fire repeatedly since late February.
In a formal statement issued in Tehran, the ministry described the tanker strikes as a clear breach of international law: "These illegal and aggressive actions, carried out in continuation of the US military aggression against Iran and as part of its naval blockade and economic war against our homeland, constitute a clear violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, a war crime, and a clear threat to international peace and the security of commercial shipping," it said, describing the operation as part of a broader campaign of "state terrorism." The ministry warned that Tehran would "firmly defend its sovereignty and national interests" against continued aggression, placing responsibility for any escalation on Washington and its "accomplices and partners."
Pentagon confirms strikes
US Central Command said its forces disabled the three tankers after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships operating in regional waters. The exchange marked the latest flashpoint in a conflict that began on Feb. 28, when Washington and Tel Aviv initiated military operations against Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran against Israel and US assets across the region.
Diplomatic impasse
Despite the hostilities, diplomatic channels remain stalled following a June memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran concerning freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, with implementation frozen over disagreements regarding security arrangements in the strategic waterway.