Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that Iran has the full right to control ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the UN, he accused Western countries of hypocrisy and piracy, arguing that attempts are being made to unfairly blame Iran for regional attacks. Nebenzya said that any coastal nation under threat during wartime can restrict or regulate navigation within its territorial waters for security reasons.

He further compared Western nations to pirates, claiming that by supporting Ukrainian attacks on Russian commercial ships in the Black Sea, European countries are violating international law. According to Nebenzya, unlike pirates who attack under a black flag, Western states hide their illegal actions behind unilateral coercive measures, such as sanctions.

The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera, underscore Russia’s alignment with Iran amid rising maritime tensions and its criticism of Western policies in both the Middle East and the Black Sea.