Iran Tells US: ‘Be Careful’ as Tanker Hit by Drone in Strait of Hormuz, 20% of World’s Oil at Stake

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, responded sharply to Trump’s assertion of full control over the Strait of Hormuz, writing on social media: “Worse than fake news is fake intelligence” [218654]. He added that the US has “long miscalculated due to intelligence failures,” pointing to the war on Iran as an example [218654]. The exchange came as the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of launching drone attacks on two of its oil tankers in the strait, calling the strikes “acts of piracy” [218644].

The vessels, operated by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company ADNOC, were attacked Thursday evening while transiting the critical waterway [218644]. The company said there were no injuries and that the situation was under control [218644]. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed that two vessels suffered minor damage in a drone attack in the same area, though it did not identify them as the ADNOC ships [218644]. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry called the attacks a “flagrant violation” of international principles on freedom of navigation and blamed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps for what it called “economic coercion or blackmail” [218644].

Iran has not yet responded to the accusations [218644]. In a separate incident, a commercial tanker was hit by a drone while exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to the UKMTO, which reported that the vessel sustained minor damage and that all crew members are safe [218636]. No group has yet claimed responsibility for that strike [218636].

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, is a critical route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments [218654][218592]. Iran’s military said it will only reopen the strait once the United States accepts its conditions, though it did not specify what those conditions are [214911][218592]. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the strait will remain closed until Washington “corrects its behaviour,” according to a statement published by Iranian state media [214818]. The council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who also serves as a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made the remarks [214818].

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced that progress has been made in negotiations between Oman and Iran regarding the strait, stating that its priority as a mediator is to reopen the strategic waterway “as soon as possible” [216892]. No specific timeline for the reopening was provided [216892]. Oil prices held their decline on Wednesday as crude-laden tankers continued to leave the Persian Gulf, even as threats persist and talks between Iran and Oman show little progress [218304]. The strait remains open for now, according to shipping data, but the lack of a clear deal keeps traders on edge [218304].