TEHERAN, KOMPAS.com – Iran confiscated a ship United Arab Emirates ( UEA) who violated its territorial waters this week, after the UAE coast guard killed two Iranian fishermen on the same day.
Launch Al Jazeera on Thursday (20/8/2020), the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the boat was seized on Monday (17/8/2020), after the UAE coast guard vessel “opened fire on several Iranian fishing vessels … which resulted in the deaths of 2 fishermen”.
“On Monday, an Emirati ship was seized by Iranian border guards and its crew was detained due to illegal traffic in our country’s waters,” said the foreign ministry broadcast on state TV.
The broadcast continued, “On the same day, UAE guards shot dead 2 Iranian fishermen and seized a boat.”
In the broadcast it said that the UAE had expressed regret for the shooting incident that took place on the beach.
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On Wednesday (19/8/2020), in a letter made by the UAE, it announced its readiness to pay compensation for the shooting of 2 Iranian fishermen.
Iran has summoned the UAE authorities in Tehran over the incident.
Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment when contacted by the news agency Reuters.
Incidents regarding fishing vessels occur frequently between Iran and its neighbors in the Arabian Gulf, and the Iranian government warns, “Any aggression against its interests and citizens,” saying, “Tehran will take all necessary measures to protect its ships and citizens in the Persian Gulf.”
Big mistake
The official UAE news agency, WAM, reported on Monday (17/8/2020) that the UAE coast guard tried to stop 8 fishing boats violating its territorial waters in the northwest of the island of Sir Bu Nu’Ayr, without reporting any casualties.
The incident comes amid high tensions between the two countries following a surprise announcement last week that the UAE has agreed to normalize relations with Israel under the bridged deal AS.
Iran has condemned the agreement, with President Hassan Rouhani calling it a “grave mistake” and warning “against opening Israel’s path to the region”, without specifying what that meant.
Rouhani’s statement was seen as a “threat” by the UAE, which later on Sunday called on Iran’s legal forces in Abu Dhabi, to protest “unacceptable and seditious” rhetoric.
The UAE has severed ties with Iran in 2016, amid fierce competition between Tehran and Saudi Arabian allies.
Thus, the UAE government considers Iran’s statement regarding the UAE-Israel normalization agreement “has serious implications for security and stability in the Gulf region”.
Develop diplomatic relations between Israel and Washington’s Middle East allies, including Gulf countries oil-rich, has been at the heart of US President Donald Trump’s regional strategy to contain Iran.
Regional threats
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash has repeatedly said the UAE’s decision to open diplomatic relations with Israel has nothing to do with Iran.
However, the UAE government has long viewed Iran as a major regional threat. Then, the recent tensions between Tehran and Washington have seen a series of threatening incidents.
Patriot missiles on one of Dubai’s main thoroughfares can still be seen heading north, towards Iran.
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The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who serves as the daily ruler of the UAE, has long warned Israel to allow it to strike Iran first in an attempt to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, if it does not put the brakes on it.
However, it would spark a regional war that would see Tehran targeting attacks on the Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed told US officials repeatedly.
“This is the Middle East and we will do what we have to do,” Sheikh Mohammed was quoted as saying in a diplomatic meeting with the US in February 2009 published by WikiLeaks.
“When the Iranians fire their missiles, we will chase them and kill them,” he said.
Thursday’s announcement by Tehran about the Iran fishing boat incident came a day after Trump said the United States would activate a controversial mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran.
Also read: Mossad Heads Down the Mountain Visits UAE, Effects of Peace Treaty
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