Indonesia has said that Iranian oil tankers moving through its waters are doing so legally under international maritime law, even as the vessels reportedly passed through areas affected by a United States naval blockade.
The government confirmed it had received reports about Iranian-flagged tankers transiting the Lombok Strait, a key route east of Bali that connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific.
The ships are believed to be heading toward the Riau Archipelago.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said that navigation rules in Indonesian waters follow the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
She explained that the treaty allows ships from other countries to pass through, including under what is known as the right of innocent passage.
She said Indonesia is currently checking the situation on the ground and coordinating internally, but at this stage sees the vessels as operating within international law.
The government is continuing to monitor
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