Iran strikes UAE’s tanker with missiles in Strait of Hormuz

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday condemned the Iranian attack on an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) tanker as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, in a statement, noted that this attack constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which emphasises freedom of navigation and rejects targeting commercial vessels or disrupting international maritime routes.

ADNOC is the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and one of the largest oil companies in the world by production.

“The Ministry stressed that targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool for economic pressure or blackmail constitutes an “act of piracy” by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and poses a direct threat to the stability of the region and its people, as well as to global energy security,” read a statement.

According to it, the UAE also emphasised the necessity for Iran to cease these ‘aggressive attacks,’ ensuring its full commitment to halting all hostile acts and the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to pursuing dialogue to safeguard its rights, while emphasising that Tehran will not be forced to surrender.

Pezeshkian made the remarks in an interview, published on the website of his office on Friday (local time), defending the Iranian government’s decision to enter negotiations with the United States and sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war.

Pezeshkian said Iran remains committed to its obligations as long as the United States fulfils its commitments under the MoU, adding, “Wherever they fail to fulfil their commitment, we have no obligation to continue.”

In June, Iran and the United States signed the MoU, under which the two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period to reach a final agreement. However, renewed tensions between the two have left the talks’ fate uncertain.

IANS