Tehran: Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh has expressed concerns over the impact of maritime sanctions on cooperation in maritime safety and security. Sadegh made these remarks in a meeting with Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Arsenio Dominguez, IRNA reported on Wednesday. According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran has always played an effective role in ensuring maritime security and safety, as well as protecting the marine environment, Sadegh added. She noted that the unilateral maritime sanctions hinder Iran's ability to cooperate in maritime safety initiatives both regionally and beyond. For his part, Dominguez mentioned that sanctions harm cooperation in maritime safety and security, as well as collaborations in the marine environmental protection sectors. He emphasized that the IMO never recognizes unilateral sanctions against its member states and highlighted that one of the organization's missions is to address and reduce countries' concerns in commercial shipping over the coming years. Dominguez further noted that as a major player in the IMO, Iran is expected to host several important events in the sphere of maritime cooperation.