The head of the International Seabed Authority on Wednesday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's order to fast-track deep-sea mining in the open ocean outside American territorial waters.

"No state has the right to unilaterally exploit the mineral resources of the area outside the legal framework established by UNCLOS," ISA head Leticia Carvalho said in a statement, referring to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"It is common understanding that this prohibition is binding on all States, including those that have not ratified UNCLOS," she added.