Tehran said Thursday it seized an Emirati boat following a Gulf incident in which two Iranian fishermen died, stoking tensions after the UAE said it would establish ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel.
The Iranian foreign ministry said it also summoned the UAE charge d’affaires to protest the maritime incident, which took place on Monday.
UAE coastguard vessels had opened fire on Iranian fishing boats
UAE coastguard vessels had “opened fire on several Iranian fishing boats… leading to the deaths of two fishermen”, the ministry said in a statement.
Read more: UAE-Israel agreement: a jab at Iran?
An “Emirati boat was seized by coast guards of the Islamic Republic of Iran because it was sailing illegally in our waters, and its crew have been arrested,” it added.
The official Emirati news agency WAM said eight fishing boats had violated UAE territorial waters on Monday, without giving their nationality.
“The coastguard boats attempted to stop the fishing boats but they did not comply with the orders, therefore, rules of engagement were applied,” WAM said.
#Iran says it has seized a United Arab Emirates vessel and summoned the #UAE envoy after two of its fishermen were shot dead in an incident in the Gulf https://t.co/y0NKFlGlXM
— Randa HABIB (@RandaHabib) August 20, 2020
Iran’s foreign ministry said the UAE had on Wednesday expressed “its deep regret” and said it would provide compensation.
Iran and the UAE have longstanding economic links and the Emirates are home to a significant Iranian expatriate community.
But tensions have spiked between the two nations following last week’s surprise announcement that the UAE has agreed to normalise ties with Israel under a US-brokered deal.
Read more: UAE-Israel deal is a “Zionist occupation”, must be rejected: Kuwait lawmakers
Iran condemned the agreement, with President Hassan Rouhani calling it a “big mistake” and warning “against opening the path of Israel to the region”, without elaborating on what that would mean.
Rouhani’s remarks were seen as “threats” by the UAE which on Sunday summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi to protest “unacceptable and inflammatory” rhetoric.
Dr Nayef Falah Al Hajraf ,Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (#GCC): I denounce threats made by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in his recent speech and by other Iranian officials regarding sovereign decisions taken by the #UAE#YouAreResponsible @GCC pic.twitter.com/zYB9Yp4KZA
— UAE Forsan (@UAE_Forsan) August 17, 2020
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”.
Establishing ties between Israel and Gulf states central Trump goal
Establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and Washington’s Middle East allies, including the oil-rich Gulf states, has been central to US President Donald Trump’s regional strategy to contain Iran.
The US on Thursday formally began the process of activating a controversial mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran, a contested move that threatens a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
Read more: Trump pledges ‘snapback’ over humiliating UN defeat on Iran sanctions
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo submitted a letter to the president of the UN Security Council notifying him of Iran’s “significant” non-compliance with the terms of the historic accord, according to a copy seen by AFP.
It marked the start of the US bid to trigger the so-called “snapback” procedure, which is opposed by its European allies on the 15-member Council.
“Snapback” aims to restore all international sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the 2015 accord with Tehran.
The UN Security Council has rejected a US proposal to extend the conventional weapons embargo on Iran https://t.co/i3eElEmpZ9
— CNN International (@cnni) August 15, 2020
This follows last week’s defeat of the US at the UN Security Council where it failed to muster support for a resolution to extend a conventional arms embargo on Iran.
Tehran has been at loggerheads with Washington since 2018 when Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and reimposed US sanctions.
Iran denies developing nuclear weapons.
But on Thursday, in apparent defiance of Washington, Tehran unveiled two missiles it said had an extended range, naming them after commanders killed in a US strike in January in Iraq.
Read more: UN rejects Iran arms embargo extension, USA isolated
One of them, unveiled as a ballistic missile, was called “Haj Qasem” in honour of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, while the other, a cruise missile, was named after his Iraqi lieutenant, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
AFP with additional input by GVS News Desk