Argentine groups have launched legal action against a British-Israeli oil project near the Falkland Islands, citing the long-running territorial dispute. The lawsuit follows Donald Trump’s comments that he would not rule out reviewing the US position on the disputed territory…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Argentine groups have launched a legal challenge seeking to halt a British-Israeli oil project off the coast of the disputed Falkland Islands.
Argentina refers to the South Atlantic islands as Las Malvinas and has long maintained its claim to the territory, which has remained under British control since the 1982 Falklands War.
The lawsuit was announced a day after US President Donald Trump said he would not rule out reviewing Washington’s traditionally neutral position on the territorial dispute.
Asked on Monday whether the United States was reviewing its position on the Falklands, Trump told reporters: “I always review every position. That’s just one of many.”
Argentine President Javier Milei welcomed Trump’s comments and said he would address the issue in a televised speech on Thursday.
Milei posted on X that he would speak about the “SACRED issue for Argentines: the Malvinas cause”.
“What cause more important and strategic for the vital interests of the Nation could there be than the Malvinas cause?”
The legal action centres on the Sea Lion oil field, a proposed large-scale offshore development involving British company Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum.
The companies are seeking to establish an oil operation about 220 kilometres (137 miles) from the Falkland Islands, according to the groups behind the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs include war veterans and environmental lawyers who argue that the project should not proceed while the territorial dispute remains unresolved.
They claim the development breaches a United Nations resolution calling for unilateral actions to be avoided while negotiations over a disputed territory are ongoing.
Although the proposed project is located in an area controlled by Britain, the plaintiffs argue that legal proceedings in Argentine courts could have an impact on its progress.
The complaint seeks an order requiring the companies to “refrain from starting and/or continuing the works… as well as from initiating the extraction and exploitation of hydrocarbons,” lawyer Enrique Viale told AFP.
The Falklands dispute remains a highly sensitive issue in Argentina and continues to feature prominently in national politics.
The issue has also surfaced in sporting events. During the World Cup semifinal against England in July, some Argentine footballers displayed a banner reading “Las Malvinas are Argentine” after Argentina defeated England 2-1.
The display prompted a response from Downing Street, with a spokesperson for the British prime minister saying: “the World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.”
The Falklands War began in 1982 after Argentine forces attempted to seize control of the islands. Then-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher sent a naval task force to retake the territory.
The conflict resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine personnel, 255 British personnel and three islanders.
The territorial dispute has remained unresolved since the war, with Argentina continuing to assert sovereignty over the islands while Britain maintains control.
The latest lawsuit adds an economic dimension to the long-running disagreement, as Argentina seeks to challenge offshore hydrocarbon activity near the islands.
The case also comes as renewed attention is being placed on the diplomatic positions of major powers towards the Falklands question.
Milei’s support for Trump’s comments suggests the Argentine government sees potential significance in any reassessment of Washington’s longstanding approach to the dispute.
