London: The Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and managing director of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has emphasized the need to prevent certain western governments from exploiting the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for their political interests. According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ali Akbar Safaei, speaking on Tuesday, highlighted that during his meeting with IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez, he clearly presented Iran's positions and urged him to prevent the US from politicizing the IMO. Safaei stressed the technical nature of the maritime field and highlighted Iran's substantial contributions to the International Maritime Organization since its inception, noting its valuable role in ensuring safety, security, and marine environment preservation. Safaei reiterated that the IMO, as an international body with legislative authority in maritime matters, should remain focused on technical issues rather than succumbing to the political agendas of countries lik e the United States, which he characterized as hostile. He mentioned that the Secretary General of IMO concurred with the stance of not allowing political issues to infiltrate the organization's agenda. Despite this agreement, Safaei pointed out that some countries tend to overstep the boundaries of technical discussions and attempt to bring their political opinions into international forums. The 133rd meeting of the IMO commenced with the presence of the Iranian delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, in London on Monday.