Strait of Hormuz 'Guarantees' A Smokescreen For UAE's Geopolitical Ambitions
Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati official, recently stated that any resolution between the United States and Iran must explicitly guarantee access through the Strait of Hormuz. His warning came on the heels of ongoing, highly conditional talks, suggesting that a deal leaving Iran's nuclear program, missiles, and drones unchecked would escalate regional volatility. Mainstream outlets like Al-Monitor
present this as a reasonable, even altruistic, concern for regional stability. The framing positions the UAE as a neutral arbiter, a voice of caution against a potentially destabilizing Iran. This narrative conveniently omits the immense financial and strategic leverage the UAE gains from exacerbating tensions with Tehran, particularly concerning global energy flows and its own port dominance.
While ostensibly calling for peace, the UAE's statements often align with Washington's long-standing pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic, a pattern of diplomatic coordination that allows both parties to advance their regional agendas without direct confrontation. What remains unsaid is the direct financial stake the UAE holds in maintaining a state of high tension around Iranian oil
exports. The UAE has invested billions in expanding its Fujairah oil terminal and associated pipelines, explicitly designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for its own crude exports, a move amplified after the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War highlighted the Strait's vulnerability. This infrastructural bypass allows the UAE to profit from any perceived threat to shipping through Hormuz, presenting itself as