London: The UN shipping agency's Council voted to reject Iran's bid to host a maritime event in October after the US-led motion to do so was approved, a spokesperson for the agency said on Thursday.

After Tehran attempted to seize the Richmond Voyager tanker, which was operated by US oil major Chevron, earlier in July in international Gulf waters, the move is likely to exacerbate tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) executive Council approved Iran's proposal to host a shipping event in Tehran in late October of this year in conjunction with an annual maritime day hosted by the UN.

Also Read: 12 people are detained in Indonesia for engaging in illegal organ trafficking

In a working paper provided to the IMO Council, which is meeting this week, and seen by Reuters, the US suggested overturning the judgment.
The US stated in the paper, which was co-sponsored by Britain, "In the last two years, Iran has attacked, harassed or detained more than 20 vessels engaged in commercial activities."

Iran "has seized or attempted to seize commercial vessels without any justification in advance, warning, or pretext."
The proposal was also sparked by Iran firing live fire at the Richmond Voyager, the paper continued, "threaten[ing] the lives of seafarers aboard."

According to the IMO spokesperson, Thursday's vote by the majority of the IMO Council's members resulted in the rejection of Iran's offer. The Council is composed of forty nations.

Also Read: North Korea threatens to use nuclear weapons in retaliation for US military displays

Requests for comment were not immediately answered by Iranian officials.
"Iran has no business hosting any official international gathering related to maritime affairs, because it has repeatedly demonstrated its contempt for international maritime rules, standards, and safety," US State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told reporters during a news briefing.

In the most recent of several attacks on ships in the region since 2019, the US Navy declared in July that it had intervened to stop Iran from capturing two commercial tankers, including the Richmond Voyager, in the Gulf of Oman.

Also Read: Egypt wants to strengthen ties with the Philippines by promoting handicrafts

According to three sources cited by Reuters, the US seized an Iranian oil cargo on a tanker at sea in April as part of a sanctions enforcement operation. Ship tracking data on Thursday indicated that the tanker was anchored outside of the US port of Houston.

According to state media, the Revolutionary Guards navy warned Iran on Thursday that it would retaliate against any oil company that removed Iranian oil from the tanker.