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by mpyne 37 days ago
Did you miss the part about contraband? You quoted it, after all.

Firing on neutral shipping is not the same as intercepting it and inspecting it for war materiel or other contraband. Preventing shipping from reaching or leaving Kuwaiti ports is not the same as inspecting it for war materiel or other contraband.
1 comments
ceejayoz 37 days ago
Iran has been requiring shipping to submit to inspection and tolls via an adjusted route through the strait. And they can certainly deem oil contraband if they are allowed to do food and medicine, as quoted.

Ships that don’t stop get fired upon. That’s what happens in a blockade.

Kuwait is a US ally and hosts American military bases. Stopping shipping to there is very clearly legitimate.

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bawolff 37 days ago
> And they can certainly deem oil contraband if they are allowed to do food and medicine, as quoted.

Wikipedia is defining what the term blockade means not what constitutes a legal blockade.

Medicine is not allowed to be blockaded. Food is not allowed to be blockaded if there is a shortage.

Relavent parts of the san remo manual:

> 102 The declaration or establishment of a blockade is prohibited if:

> (a) it has the sole purpose of starving the civilian population or denying it other objects essential for its survival; or

> (b) the damage to the civilian population is, or may be expected to be, excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated from the blockade.

> 103. If the civilian population of the blockaded territory is inadequately provided with food and other objects essential for its survival, the blockading party must provide for free passage of such foodstuffs and other essential supplies, subject to...

> 104. The blockading belligerent shall allow the passage of medical supplies for the civilian population or for the wounded and sick members of armed forces,...

https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/san-remo-manu...

You're correct that blocking oil would be allowed (barring situations where the civilian population needs it to survive, which doesnt apply here) if this was a legal blockade. However Iran is not complying with the other rules around blockades, which is the issue.

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