LONDON, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez said on Monday that countries have no right to blockade international straits used for international transit.
Speaking at a press briefing, Dominguez made the remarks when responding to a question on whether Washington's potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would violate international law.
"From a legal perspective, in accordance with international law, there is no right to prohibit the right of innocent passage, nor to impede the freedom of navigation through international straits used for international transit," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the U.S. Navy would begin blocking ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz, after peace talks with Iran failed to produce a deal. ■