Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science

Legal Analysis of the Conflict between the "Right of Transit Passage" and the "Sovereignty of the Coastal State" in the Strait of Hormuz with Emphasis on the 1982 Convention

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Tara Ghasemi 1
Amir Mohammad Tavakoli 2

1 Undergraduate Student in Law, Islamic Azad University, Islam Shahr Branch

2 Ph.D. Candidate in Private Law, Islamic Azad University, Emirates Branch

10.5281/zenodo.21864009
Abstract
The Strait of Hormuz, as one of the most strategically significant international straits, has consistently served as a focal point where the rules of the international law of the sea intersect with the national security imperatives of coastal States. With the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a novel concept "transit passage" was introduced, conferring extensive freedoms upon military and merchant vessels while concomitantly restricting the regulatory authority of the coastal State. In contrast, the traditional regime of "innocent passage" provides for a more expansive supervisory authority for the coastal State (Iran). Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology and scrutinising Articles 19, 38, and 44 of the aforementioned Convention, this study examines the legal challenges at hand. The findings indicate that Iran, by invoking the doctrine of the "persistent objector" and emphasising the contractual character of the transit passage regime, underscores the implementation of innocent passage rules in order to safeguard its national security and protect the marine environment against non-member States.

Graphical Abstract

Legal Analysis of the Conflict between the Right of Transit Passage and the Sovereignty of the Coastal State in the Strait of Hormuz with Emphasis on the 1982 Convention

Keywords

Strait of Hormuz
Innocent Passage
Transit Passage
1982 Convention
Coastal State Sovereignty
Persistent Objector
Subjects
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Advanced Journal of Management, Humanity and Social Science
Volume 2, Issue 3
May and June 2026
Pages 277-280

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