UAE withdraw from US-led maritime security force

The United Arab Emirates recently announced that it had stopped participating in a maritime security force led by the United States, the latest hint of tensions between Washington and key Persian Gulf allies who complain that America has not done enough to protect them from Iranian threats.

The unusual public statement came after Iran seized two commercial tankers in waterways near the Emirates in quick succession over the past two months. The Emirati Foreign Ministry said the country “withdrew its participation” from the Combined Maritime Forces two months ago “as a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners.”

Political analysts say the Emirati statement could be intended as a message to the United States that the country is displeased with the level of American protection for its allies in the Persian Gulf against threats from Iran and must look out for its own interests. Emirati and Saudi officials have repeatedly expressed frustration with U.S. policy toward Iran.

Read the full article at New York Times – UAE withdraw from US-led maritime security force.

Iran has “harassed, attacked or interfered” with 15 internationally flagged merchant ships since 2021 reflecting rising tensions between Iran and the United States. In response to the increase in animosity between the two nations, U.S. Navy warships stationed in the Persian Gulf region have increased their patrols through the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States had already been using its Navy and Coast Guard ships in the region to look for weapons and drugs being sent through the Persian Gulf, however, the recent actions by the Pentagon could be an effort to reassert U.S. relevance in the region. In March China stepped in to help negotiate a diplomatic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran – and China’s growing presence may suggest they could no longer rely on the United States to guarantee their security.

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