Iranian government has accused US forces operating in the Persian Gulf of misusing the maritime distress and safety channel VHF Channel 16.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint in a letter to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
It said it had received reports in recent weeks from commercial vessels, shipping companies and maritime operators.
“VHF Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) has been repeatedly occupied for prolonged periods by the United States military forces operating in the Persian Gulf,” said the letter by ambassador and permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the IMO on October 9.
“During such transmissions, Iranian seafarers have been addressed in Persian with threatening, abusive and provocative language and in certain instances, urged to abandon their vessels,” the circular letter said.
Iran said, “such conduct has disrupted the proper availability of this essential maritime safety channel and caused serious stress and psychological pressure upon civilian crews.”
The ambassador and permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the IMO made also a refence to the IMO Assembly resolution A.954(23), entitled “Proper use of VHF Channels at sea.”
Iran said the use of the channel for other non-safety-related communications risks obstructing or delaying genuine distress, urgency and safety traffic, with potentially grave consequences for ships and seafarers.
The Iranian government has sent the letter, dated 9 October 2026, with the request that it be circulated by the organization as an official document to all IMO-members, intergovernmental organizations, and to non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO.
Iran urged IMO to bring this matter urgently to the attention of the relevant bodies of the organization and its member states and take appropriate action within the mandate of IMO.
At the time of writing this article, the US government has not officially commented on the Iranian allegations.
