Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said that the “responsibility for any disruption to maritime transport lies with the aggressors: the United States and its supporters. Any claim to the contrary is unfounded.”
Addressing the press after the Security Council meeting on about ‘Safety and Protection of Waterways in the Maritime Domain,’ Amir Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said “In constraint, Iran’s measures in the state of Hormuz was grounded in Iran’s right and obligation under the law of the sea and its national laws and regulations. Iran’s lawful measures aim to strike an appropriate balance between security interests of the coastal state and the continuous safe conduct of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in a high volatile environment.”
He added, “These practical measures will be carefully examined in light of evolving circumstances. Iran is not a party to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Accordingly, it is not bound by its treaty-based provisions, except to the extent that specific rules reflected therein are universally recognized as customary international law.”
Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said that the “responsibility for any disruption to maritime transport lies with the aggressors: the United States and its supporters. Any claim to the contrary is unfounded.”
Addressing the press after the Security Council meeting on about ‘Safety and Protection of Waterways in the Maritime Domain,’ Amir Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said “In constraint, Iran’s measures in the state of Hormuz was grounded in Iran’s right and obligation under the law of the sea and its national laws and regulations. Iran’s lawful measures aim to strike an appropriate balance between security interests of the coastal state and the continuous safe conduct of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in a high volatile environment.”
He added, “These practical measures will be carefully examined in light of evolving circumstances. Iran is not a party to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Accordingly, it is not bound by its treaty-based provisions, except to the extent that specific rules reflected therein are universally recognized as customary international law.”
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Security Council
Lebanon/Israel
Lebanon/Humanitarian
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Mali
Mali/Humanitarian
Sudan
South Sudan
Chad
Central African Republic
Ukraine
Micronesia
Colombia
Briefings
Financial Contribution
NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
This morning, the Secretary-General addressed the opening of the 11th review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
He told Member States that for the first time in decades, the number of nuclear warheads is on the rise, and nuclear testing is back on the table. Hard-won norms are eroding and arms control is dying, Mr. Guterres added.
Across the decades, the Secretary-General reminded Member States that they developed a web of instruments to prevent the use, to prevent the proliferation and to prevent the testing of nuclear weapons, and to achieve their total elimination. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is the bedrock of these efforts.
The Secretary-General called on countries to keep their promises under the Treaty. He also called on them to use the discussions starting to lay the groundwork for the Treaty to evolve, so that it is able to ensure that until nuclear weapons are eliminated, humanity never cedes control over their use; and that nuclear science and technology can be used to benefit sustainable development.
SECURITY COUNCIL
The Secretary-General, as well as Arsenio Dominguez, the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), briefed the Security Council this morning on maritime security, with the Secretary-General warning that merchant shipping is being used as a tool of pressure and navigational rights and freedoms – bedrock principles of the Law of the Sea – are being undermined. He said that the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints and its blockage has resulted in the worst supply chain disruption since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Prolonged disruption risks triggering a global food emergency – pushing millions, especially in Africa and South Asia, into hunger and poverty, Mr. Guterres warned.
The Secretary-General said that the UN Charter’s prohibition of the threat or use of force applies fully at sea. Navigational rights and freedoms of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must be respected, as affirmed by the Council’s 2817 Resolution.
Mr. Guterres appealed to the parties to open the Strait, to let ships pass with no tolls and no discrimination, let trade resume and let the global economy breathe, he said.
Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO Secretary-General, said that his agency’s main concern remains the safety and the well-being of the roughly 20,000 innocent seafarers who are trapped in the Gulf due to this conflict.
Following the IMO Council decision, he has begun the development of an evacuation framework, using existing traffic separation scheme, to securely evacuate ships and seafarers from the conflict zone, provided it is safe to do so.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-04-27
Opening the 11th NPT Review Conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of rising nuclear risks, including renewed interest in nuclear testing. He urged States to honour their commitments and recommit to disarmament and non-proliferation.
The choice of the tenth UN Secretary-General, who will take office in January 2027, could shape global diplomacy, the response to crises across the world and the direction of the multilateral system for the next decade.
The four candidates so far in the running participated in a series of “interactive dialogues” at UN Headquarters in New York.
Current General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, explains the process and shares her views on the road ahead.
Briefing by Jack Christofides, Special Representative for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), on the question concerning Haiti.
Christofides said, “We are at a critical early phase of establishing the GSF. We remain acutely aware of the suffering endured by the Haitian people, particularly those living under gang control. There is an urgent need for concrete action to restore security and hope. We are not starting from zero. But we are starting differently.”
On operational planning, Christofides added, “The mission is taking shape in a structured and deliberate manner. A deployment plan has been developed in consultation with the Haitian authorities, focused on priority areas and leveraging the specialized capabilities of contributing forces. The objective is clear: to degrade the operational capacity of gangs to a level that Haitian institutions can sustainably manage, thereby creating the time and space necessary for the State to reassert its authority.”
He said, “In parallel, we are advancing civilian deployment and establishing the core structures necessary to support intelligence-led mission planning, coordination, and oversight. The Concept of Operations has been finalized, providing a clear framework for how the mission will operate in practice, including integration with Haitian counterparts.”
Christofides added, “Force generation is progressing, with impressive pledges from Member States. An initial deployment package has been approved in line with the authorized ceiling, and deployments will take place in phases over the coming months.”
As interest grows in emerging ocean-based technologies—such as deep-sea mining and marine geoengineering—scientists are examining their potential impacts on marine ecosystems and the adequacy of current governance frameworks. This session will explore the state of scientific knowledge around these activities, including areas of uncertainty and concern, and discuss how science can help inform precautionary approaches and strengthen international cooperation. It will also highlight the importance of inclusive, co-produced knowledge and the need for integrated, ecosystem-based governance to guide decision-making.
Speakers:
– Dr. Peter Haugan, Co-Chair, International Science Council’s Expert Group on Ocean; Policy Director, Institute of Marine Research; and Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen
– Dr. Ellycia Harrould-Kolieb, Lecturer in Ecosystem Governance & Policy, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
Moderator:
– Léa Nacache, Communications Officer, International Science Council
Join us during the UN Ocean Conference from June 9-13 and hear about the transformation and solutions needed to accelerate action on the SDGs.
The Conference aims to drive urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Ocean science, pollution, fishing, maritime transport, biodiversity, financing and cooperation are among the issues to be tackled.
Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, the SDG Media Zone takes the conversation out of the policy sphere and into the public discourse through impactful in-depth interviews and conversations on global issues that matter to people everywhere.
This session will share preliminary findings from the World Bank’s Indigenous-led regional profiles on Indigenous Peoples in coastal and marine environments. Despite 27 million Indigenous Peoples across 87 countries depending on these ecosystems, they remain underrepresented in the global blue economy and marine policy. The session will highlight key challenges, priorities, and best practices to strengthen their direct participation, followed by a panel discussion on advancing inclusion through informed policy and partnerships.
Speakers:
– Johnson Jament, Founding Director of BlueGreen Coastal Resources, India, and Member of the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation
– Milika Sobey, Member, Women in Fisheries Network of Fiji
Moderator:
-Dianna Pizarro, Global Coordinator for Indigenous Peoples, World Bank
Join us during the UN Ocean Conference from June 9-13 and hear about the transformation and solutions needed to accelerate action on the SDGs.
The Conference aims to drive urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Ocean science, pollution, fishing, maritime transport, biodiversity, financing and cooperation are among the issues to be tackled.
Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, the SDG Media Zone takes the conversation out of the policy sphere and into the public discourse through impactful in-depth interviews and conversations on global issues that matter to people everywhere.
