UAE, 4 Gulf states reject Iran’s new authority to manage traffic in Hormuz

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The UAE and four Arab Gulf states have issued a statement rejecting Iran’s establishment of a so-called “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” that has been falsely characterised as a sovereign governance entity to manage vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

“This entity’s latest announcement on the purported scope of its supposed jurisdiction outrageously claims to include the territorial waters of neighboring States, including the UAE, in clear violation of the sovereignty of those States.

“Member States’ rejection of Iran’s route and Strait Authority is because they amount to a gross violation of international law and undermine the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which has been effective in facilitating safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.

The statement, co-signed by Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, has also categorically rejected Iran’s alternative route for transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments pass. It was issued during a session by the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC).

The UAE has also welcomed the MSC’s decision to adopt a resolution that was proposed by the UAE and co-sponsored by many member States to promote safe navigation in the Gulf region in response to Iran’s threats.

The newly adopted MSC resolution:

• Expresses grave concern of Iran’s use of drones, missiles and sea mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz, and the serious threat posed to safe navigation and seafarers.

• Stresses the critical importance of maintaining the freedom of navigation of commercial ships in the Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman, and the right of transit passage in one of the worlds’ most critical international waterways.

• Encourages States to take coordinated steps to contribute to the safe navigation of commercial and merchant vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

• Requests States to support the efforts of the IMO Secretary-General to facilitate the safe evacuation of merchant ships trapped within the Gulf to a safe place, using the IMO-recognised maritime route. States are also urged to ensure continuous provision for water, food, fuel and other essential supplies to ships currently unable to leave the region.

• Encourages coordination among flag States, shipowners and operators, so that the IMO-recognised maritime route continues to be used

In comments on the resolution, Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure said,: “With the adoption of this resolution, the international community has once again spoken clearly against Iran’s unlawful actions and its severe impacts on navigational safety and the safety of seafarers”.

The Minister emphasised that “ensuring the safety and wellbeing of more than 20,000 seafarers stranded as a result of Iran’s unlawful actions is a core priority of the UAE. IMO Member States and relevant international organisations must continue all efforts to that end.”
The IMO resolution ,” according to Mofa.