MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. More than 50 cases of maritime safety violations, resulting in 20 deaths and 22 injuries, were recorded in Iranian territorial waters, Iranian authorities said in a document sent to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The letter, available to TASS, specified that between March 2 and 25, incidents involving 54 vessels were recorded, of which 21 sank and another 22 sustained serious damage.

The document noted that the incidents involved eight passenger ships, eight tugs, six private and fishing vessels, five merchant ships, and three search-and-rescue vessels, among others. The highest number of incidents, 11, occurred on March 20.

On February 28, the US and Israel launched a large-scale operation against Iran. On April 7, the US president announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Tehran. On April 11, Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while the US delegation was headed by Vice President JD Vance. Both Tehran and Washington reported that the parties failed to reach an agreement on a long-term settlement due to a number of contradictions. Then, on April 13, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US military would begin a naval blockade of Iran, preventing any vessels from entering or leaving the country's ports.