UN Maritime Chief Warns of Mine Threat as Attacks Mount in Strait of Hormuz
Source reports published 19 Oct 2026, 12:23 pm – 21 Oct 2026, 4:26 am AEST
The UN maritime chief reported ongoing attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, alongside a resurgence of sea mine threats. Approximately 6,000 sailors remain trapped as Iran continues to challenge U.S. naval operations and shipping routes.
What happened
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez warned of escalating attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, with 24 vessels reportedly attacked over the past two weeks.
- Simultaneously, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy reported that two oil tankers caught fire after striking naval mines while crossing the waterway.
- The tankers, carrying approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil, were reportedly attempting to use a route unauthorized by Iran.
- Dominguez stated that sea mines pose a serious threat to vessels navigating the strategic waterway, and that the situation remains ‘severe and critical’ for international shipping.
- He noted that the traffic separation scheme, the approved route for IMO, is currently unclear of mines.
- Iran’s IRGC navy also reported that the second tanker was left immobilized after striking a mine.
- Tehran continues to maintain its own transit passageway inside Iranian territorial waters, imposing tolls and safety fees administered by the IRGC, a framework rejected by Washington and the IMO.
- Dominguez explained that only the IMO-approved route, established in 1968, is recognized and appears on charts for vessel transit.
- He added that this route is currently unclear of mines, making it unsafe.
- Amid stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Iranian officials, including Mohsen Rezaei, expressed dissatisfaction with Washington’s response and reiterated Tehran’s seven-day proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- The IMO’s role involves reviewing potential regulatory improvements to address communication issues and enhance knowledge of channel usage, while acknowledging the need for member states to raise concerns regardless of the conflict.