Iran lodges protest at International Maritime Organization over U.S. sanctions

Iran lodges a complaint with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) against the U.S. over the re-imposition of sweeping sanctions, which target scores of Iranian ships as part of Washington's much-criticized push to cut off the country's oil exports.

Iran's Ambassador the UK Hamid Baeidinejad wrote on Twitter that the diplomatic mission under his watch submitted a letter to the London-based body to voice Tehran's protest at the return of the unlawful U.S. sanctions.

In the letter, Tehran's Embassy condemned "the imposition by the US of unilateral sanctions on Iran's ships as a measure that violates international maritime law and endangers maritime security." It also called on the IMO to conduct a "special review" of the matter at its Assembly - the organization's highest governing body, PressTV reported.

The complaint was filed days after Washington put back in place a new round of unilateral sanctions against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off its oil sales and crucial exports.