The 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded on May 1, 2026, after five days of intense negotiations in London. The summit, attended by representatives from 139 countries and over 50 advisory bodies, focused heavily on greenhouse gas emissions, plastic pollution, and controversial new carbon taxation measures.
Iran’s Stance on Carbon Taxation
A central point of contention during the session was the proposed amendment to Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention, which sought to implement a carbon tax on ship fuels. This proposal became a major dividing line between developed and developing nations.
The Islamic Republic of Iran firmly opposed the adoption of these regulations. Due to the lack of global consensus and strong resistance from several member states, the proposal failed to pass. Consequently, the issue was deferred to future IMO sessions for further discussion.
Broad Environmental Agenda
Beyond the carbon tax debate, the committee addressed several other critical environmental issues. regarding Plastic Pellets, Mandatory requirements were established for the safe transport of plastic pellets to prevent marine pollution; A directive was approved to mark fishing equipment, following FAO guidelines, to prevent gear from being lost at sea. also, New rules were mandated for crude oil tankers to install Pressure-Vacuum (P-V) devices to control the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The committee reviewed the impacts of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty on international waters.
Regarding a political draft resolution presented by the United Arab Emirates, The Iranian representative, supported by the Ports and Maritime Organization, presented strategic documents to clarify the root causes of the crisis in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Iran’s steadfast adherence to its principled positions prevented the opposing side from achieving the claimed consensus. Notably, countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia emphasized the necessity of maintaining the IMO’s neutrality in regional disputes.
Affirmation of Navigation Rights
At the conclusion of the session, the Iranian representative filed an official statement in the committee’s final report. The statement asserted that no resolution could limit Iran’s legal position regarding freedom of navigation and its right to counter illegal interference in maritime traffic.
Throughout the two-week period, which included the preparatory ISWG-GHG21 working group session, the Iranian delegation participated actively in all specialized working groups. In total, 20 official position statements were delivered by Iran during the proceedings.