The Chairman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), Mohammad Hossein Dajmar, says Tehran will retaliate if its cargo ships come under inspection, Press TV reported.
"To protect its national interests, Iran would be sure to use its legal rights to retaliate if any Iranian ships are inspected," Dajmar said in an interview with IRNA on Sunday.
"According to numerous international rules, all countries have the right to protect their waters," he said, arguing further that Iran "can inspect suspicious ships to confront those countries which support the resolutions."
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on June 9 that imposes restrictions on the country's shipping industry in addition to other sectors.
Under the new sanctions regime, countries have the authority to inspect cargo ships, heading to or from Iran, in their own territorial waters.
Meanwhile, the Iranian official rejected an earlier report claiming that British warships had inspected Iranian cargo ships in the Persian Gulf.
Dajmar described the report as a mere 'rumor,' saying that no Iranian ship has so far been inspected.
...