Legal and International Dimensions of the Judicial Jurisdiction of the Courts of Coastal States Party to the 1982 Convention and Iran in Ship Arrest Claims
Keywords:
Jurisdiction, Coastal State, Arrest of Ships, Maritime Claims, 1982 ConventionAbstract
Given the importance of maritime transport and its significant role in global trade, the judicial jurisdiction of courts in ship arrest claims, particularly under the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea and the national laws of coastal States, is of special importance. This issue is particularly significant for countries such as Iran, which have extensive coastlines and active maritime trade. The purpose of this study is to comparatively examine the judicial jurisdiction of the courts of coastal States party to the 1982 Convention and Iran in ship arrest claims. This research analyzes the differences and similarities in the legal approaches of these States and their effects on the rights and obligations of the parties in maritime disputes. The study employs a descriptive-analytical method and examines legal instruments, international conventions, and judicial practices related to the jurisdiction of courts in ship arrest claims. Furthermore, a comparison is made between Iran’s domestic laws and the provisions of the 1982 Convention. The findings of the study indicate that, while the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea grants coastal States the right to exercise judicial jurisdiction in certain cases, Iranian law also possesses its own specific characteristics in this regard. Moreover, in some cases, the overlap between national and international laws may give rise to legal complexities. This study shows that, in order to improve the efficiency of the judicial system in ship arrest claims, it is necessary to harmonize Iran’s domestic laws with international principles and regulations. In addition, establishing effective mechanisms for the settlement of maritime disputes and enhancing international cooperation can help strengthen the credibility of the country’s legal system and lead to greater legal certainty in the field of maritime transport.
Downloads
References
Amid, H. (2014). Amid Persian Dictionary. Amirkabir.
Berlingieri, F. (2016). Berlingieri on Arrest of Ships: A Commentary on the 1952 Arrest Convention. Informa Law from Routledge.
Burke, W. T. (1983). Annex 1: 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea provisions on conditions of access to fisheries subject to national jurisdiction. https://www.fao.org/4/x5608e/x5608e09.htm
Churchill, R., & Lowe, A. (2014). The Law of the Sea. Ganj-e Danesh.
Dehkhoda, A. A. (1998). Dehkhoda Dictionary. University of Tehran Press.
Foroughi, F. (2009). The origin and legal nature of the principle of universal jurisdiction. Legal Studies of Shiraz University, 1(3), 21-47.
Ghods, B. (2016). Arrested Ships in Maritime Law. Mizan.
Karimi, A. (2022). Civil Procedure. Majd.
Kessedjian, C. (2014). Synthesis of the work of the Special Commission of March 1998 on International Jurisdiction and the Effects of Foreign Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters. http://www.hcch.net
Mahsouri, A. (2019). The practice of the Islamic Republic of Iran in exercising judicial jurisdiction in the territorial sea of the Persian Gulf from the perspective of international law University of Qom].
Mirabbasi, S. B. (2014). Public International Law. Mizan.
Moradi, M. M., & Jalali, M. (2019). The role of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the dispute settlement system of the 1982 United Nations Convention. Energy Law Studies Quarterly, 5(1), 155-174.
Parnouri, M., & Habibi, M. (2006). International Law of the Sea: The 1982 Convention. Mahd-e Hoghoogh.
Princeton University Program in, L., & Public, A. (2001). The Princeton Principles on Universal Jurisdiction.
Quoc Dinh, N. (1980). Droit International Public. LGDJ.
Rostamkhani, K. (2010). Universal Jurisdiction: Introducing Some Solutions and Experiences. Armanshahr.
Ryngaert, C. (2015). Jurisdiction in International Law. Oxford Publication.
Seyrafi, S. (2015). Determining the outer limit of the continental shelf: A study of Article 76 of the Law of the Sea Convention. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 45(1), 123-148.
Shams, A. (2025). Civil Procedure. Mizan.
Shaw, M. N. (2018). The International Law of the Sea with a View to Iran's Issues. Khorsandi.
Shayegan, F. (2003). Strengthening International Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights. Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran.
Shayegan, F. (2010). Maritime zones in international treaties and Iranian criminal law. Bar Association Quarterly, 41(208-209), 173-198.
Wallace, R. (2024). International Law. Institute for Legal Studies and Research.
Zavareh Tabatabaei, F., & Taghizadeh Ansari, M. (2021). Arrest of ships: A tool for protecting the marine environment. Public Law Studies Quarterly, 51(4), 1535-1551.
Ziaei Bigdeli, M. (2019). Public International Law. Ganj-e Danesh.
Ziaei, Y. (2017). State Jurisdiction in International Law. Shahr-e Danesh.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Maryam Ansari Rad (Author); Masoud Raei Dehghi; Alireza Ansari Mahyari (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.