April 1, 2026

WSJ: UAE ready to forcibly open Strait of Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates is ready to help the US and forcibly open a sea passage through the Strait of Hormuz, writes The Wall Street Journal, citing sources. If the US and its allies decide to launch a military operation in the strait, the UAE will be the first Persian Gulf country to participate in a war against Iran. According to sources of the publication, the UAE is seeking the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that would allow the use of force to open the Strait of Hormuz. Emirati diplomats have urged the US, as well as European and Asian countries, to form a coalition for these actions. WSJ interlocutors also reported that the UAE insists that the US take control of the islands in the Strait of Hormuz, including Abu Musa Island. It is under the control of Iran, and the Emirates also claim it. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which about a quarter of the world's maritime oil trade and a fifth of liquefied natural gas supplies pass. After the start of the war between Israel and the US against Iran, shipping through it practically stopped due to attacks by the Islamic republic. On March 31, Iran announced the introduction of fees for passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.