Reuters reports that maritime security talks between Iran and the UAE were to begin on Tuesday, July 30, in light of the tension in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the fact that a Gulf official commented on the discussions as routine and technical.
The tension in Strait of Hormuz peaked after the UK arrested the Indian Captain and Chief Officer of the Iranian tanker ‘Grace 1’, a few days after the ship was seized suspected of breaching EU sanctions by shipping oil to Syria.
Following this event, Iran seized Stena Impero, leading a part of the shipping sector addressing that this was an act of retaliation and an act against international shipping laws.
The discussions between concerned parties have been in the middle of political friction concerning the strategic waterway stemming from hostility between Tehran and Washington.
In essence, Iran’s semi-official Students News Agency (ISNA) informed that the 6th Joint meeting will take part on Tuesday, amongst seven delegates from the UAE’s Coast Guard and Iranian officials, in Tehran. ISNA added that the participants would discuss issues concerning sharing borders, visits by citizens of each nation, illegal entries, and maritime connections.
Concluding, Reuters notes that a Gulf official stated that the meeting has nothing to do with the tensions in the region, continuing that the meeting was organised long ago concerning routine maritime issues.