Iran said on Thursday that it seized a registered United Arab Emirates ship that was in conflict with these territorial waters this week, after the UAE Coast Guard killed two Iranian fishermen on the same day.
The Foreign Ministry said the boat was seized on Monday after UAE coastguard vessels “opened fire on several Iranian fishing boats … leading to the deaths of two fishermen”.
Tensions have risen between the two oil-rich countries facing the Gulf since last week’s agreement between the Gulf state and arch-enemy Israel Tehran to normalize ties.
“On Monday, an Emirati ship was seized by Iran’s border guards and its crew were detained for illegal traffic in the waters of our country,” a statement from the Prime Minister was quoted as saying.
“On the same day, UAE guards shot dead two Iranian fishermen and made a boat … The UAE has regretted the incident and in a letter on Wednesday announced its readiness to pay compensation.”
Iran called on the UAE charge d’affairs in Tehran over the incident.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment when contacted by Reuters news agency.
Although fishing boat incidents are frequent between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors, Iran has warned of any aggression against its interests and citizens, “he said in a statement.” Tehran will take all necessary measures to protect its ships and citizens in Persia. Golf to protect “.
‘Big mistake’
State News Agency WAM reported Monday the Gulf Coast Coast Guard tried to stop eight fishing boats that damaged its territorial waters northwest of Sir Bu Nu’Ayr Island, without reporting a single report.
The incident comes amid high tensions between the two countries following last week’s surprise announcement that the UAE has agreed to normalize ties with Israel under a US brochure deal.
Iran has condemned the deal, with President Hassan Rouhani calling it a “major mistake” and warning “against opening Israel’s path to the region” without finding out what that would mean.
Rouhani’s remarks were seen as “threats” by the UAE, which on Sunday called on the Iranian charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi to protest “unacceptable and inflammatory” rhetoric.
The UAE, which downgraded its relations with Iran in 2016 amid fierce rivalry between Tehran and Emirati ally Saudi Arabia, said the remarks “had serious implications for security and stability in the Gulf region”.
The establishment of diplomatic ties between Israel and Washington’s allies in the Middle East, including the oil-rich Gulf states, was central to US President Donald Trump’s regional strategy to contain Iran.
‘We will follow her’
Anwar Gargash, the Emirate’s Foreign Minister, has repeatedly said that the UAE’s decision to open diplomatic ties with Israel had nothing to do with Iran.
However, the UAE’s autocratic government has long regarded Iran as its top regional threat and recent tensions between Tehran and Washington have seen a series of incidents in the area.
Insert Patriot missile batteries visible from one major road in Dubai continue north towards Iran.
The Crown Prince of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, who serves as the current ruler of the UAE, has long warned that Israel can strike first to destroy Iran’s nuclear program if it does not contain it. That would start a regional war that would see Tehran target the Emirates, he has told U.S. officials several times.
“This is the Middle East and we will do what we have to do,” Sheikh Mohammed was quoted as saying in a February 2009 US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks. “If the Iranians fire their missiles, we will go after them and kill them.”
Tehran’s announcement Thursday of the incident comes a day after Trump said the United States would activate a controversial mechanism aimed at re-imposing UN sanctions on Iran.
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