UAE ready to join measures to secure navigation in Strait of Hormuz

ABU DHABI -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ready to participate in any measures to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional tensions, a senior UAE official said on Thursday.

Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, UAE minister of state, said in an interview with Al Ittihad that the UAE stands ready to contribute to efforts ensuring the safety of maritime routes in the strategic waterway.

The minister stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is an international passage governed by international law, and that any attempt to close it would violate international law and threaten global security.

He added that the UAE will seek to safeguard its rights following what it described as Iranian aggression, while reaffirming the country's readiness to take part in collective measures to ensure regional stability.

Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US assets in the Middle East.