UAE condemns Iranian missile attack on tankers as US announces new Hormuz fees
The United Arab Emirates denounced an Iranian missile strike that killed one crew member and injured eight, while the United States said it would impose a 20% fee on cargo passing the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said Iranian cruise missiles struck two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, killing an Indian crew member and wounding eight others, including six Indians and two Ukrainians. The ministry called the attack "a serious violation and a clear breach of international law, threatening the security and stability of the region."
President Donald Trump announced that the United States would reinstate a naval blockade of Iranian ports and levy a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the strait, stating the measure would deter Iran while keeping the waterway open for other nations. He added that the United States would act as "the guardian of the Hormuz Strait" and that the fee would reimburse costs of providing security.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on social media, saying that any party ensuring safe passage through the strait should be compensated. A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization, however, reiterated the agency's opposition to charging fees for passage through international straits.
The incident follows three consecutive nights of US airstrikes against Iranian targets, part of an escalating dispute over control of the strategic waterway that carries about a quarter of global oil shipments.