UAE Pressures the US to Respond to Iran's Seizure of Oil Tankers

US and Gulf officials say that following the Islamic Republic's seizure of two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman in recent weeks, the United Arab Emirates has pressured the United States to take more decisive actions to deter such actions by the Islamic Republic. According to the Wall Street Journal, Emiratis have recently complained to US officials in Abu Dhabi and Washington regarding this issue. More than a third of the world's crude oil transported by sea passes through the Persian Gulf. Gulf Arab officials say that the United States has failed in recent years to prevent proxy attacks from Iran, which has weakened their confidence in Washington's commitment to the region. According to US officials, the Emiratis are upset about the lack of US response to the seizure of the tankers on April 27 and May 3. One of the tankers was carrying Kuwaiti crude oil to Houston, Texas, while the other was en route from Dubai in the UAE to the port of Fujairah in the country. Officials stated that the UAE was particularly angry about the seizure of the second tanker leaving Dubai, as it could create the impression that its waters are unsafe for navigation. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain, said, 'The United States has strong maritime relationships throughout the Middle East that enable us to respond to Iran's recent aggressions in a coordinated manner.' The seizure of the tankers occurred nearly two months after Iran and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement to restore bilateral relations. In late May, John Kirby, spokesman for strategic communications at the National Security Council of the White House, noted the increase in attacks by the Islamic Republic on commercial vessels, stating that the Pentagon would strengthen its defensive posture in the Persian Gulf through a series of measures. Following that, the New York Times reported in early June on the increase in patrols by the US and its allies in the Persian Gulf in response to the seizure of the two tankers by the Islamic Republic. The intensification of US Navy patrols aims to maintain the security of international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The display of power in the Persian Gulf includes the passage of US Navy commanders and their allies through the Strait of Hormuz. The 'newsworthy' ships of the Islamic Republic's Navy returned safely from their round-the-world trip. The US and several other countries called for action against the illegal transfer of oil at sea. The Pentagon is strengthening its defensive position in the Persian Gulf, and Iran has transferred the seized tankers to 'south of Bandar Abbas.'