TEHRAN / NEW DELHI / ABU DHABI: Regional tensions intensified on Thursday as Iran rejected renewed military pressure from the United States and Israel, while a series of maritime security incidents near the Strait of Hormuz triggered strong condemnation from India and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would not yield to threats or military coercion, insisting that disputes involving Iran cannot be resolved through force.
“We are used to these threats,” Araghchi told Iranian state media, adding that those pursuing military pressure “have not and will not achieve results.”
His remarks came amid heightened security concerns in one of the world’s most strategically critical shipping corridors.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its naval forces had facilitated the transit of multiple vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, including Chinese ships, under what it described as Iran’s maritime management protocols. Iranian state media reported that more than 30 vessels were allowed to pass, though independent verification remains unclear.
Separately, British maritime security authorities reported that a vessel anchored off Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates, had been boarded by unauthorized personnel and was being steered toward Iranian waters.
Maritime security firm Vanguard said the vessel’s security officer reported that Iranian personnel had seized the ship while it was at anchor.
In a separate incident, an Indian-flagged cargo vessel, identified as MSV Haji Ali, reportedly sank off the coast of Oman following an explosion while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz.
India condemned the attack as “unacceptable,” confirming that all 14 Indian crew members were rescued safely by Omani authorities.
The UAE strongly denounced the incident, describing it as a “terrorist attack” and calling for maritime security and regional stability.
The developments underscore growing risks to commercial shipping in the Gulf amid escalating geopolitical tensions, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining a critical chokepoint for global energy and trade flows.
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