ADNOC tanker targeted by Iran, UAE says

The United Arab Emirates said on August 8 that Iran targeted an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tanker with a missile while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, causing no casualties.

The UAE foreign ministry condemned what it called a hostile Iranian attack on the state-owned ADNOC tanker. Later the same day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said a ship was hit by a projectile off Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, starting a fire that was extinguished. UKMTO also reported no casualties. It was unclear whether the UAE and UKMTO were referring to the same ship.

ADNOC said on Friday that 15 of its vessels had been attacked in Hormuz since the start of the war, including three this week.

Oman’s foreign ministry condemned repeated attacks on vessels transiting the strait, without naming Iran. It said negotiations on navigation arrangements were proceeding in a positive and constructive atmosphere and urged against actions that could jeopardise progress.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks with Oman were approaching their final stages, but said this did not mean the Strait of Hormuz was reopening. He said reopening was subject to other conditions and compensation for what he called the United States’ violation of a June memorandum of understanding.

Iranian security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr listed preconditions for reopening the strait, including an end to the war and aggression against Iran and its allies, the lifting of a parallel US naval blockade of Iran, an end to sanctions, the release of frozen assets and compensation for wartime damage, according to remarks reported by Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also said Hormuz’s reopening had nothing to do with negotiations between Iran and Oman, and said the enemy would have to accept Iran’s conditions for opening the strait.

Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait and wants to charge users for passage. The United States opposes Iranian tolls, while a June deal allows Iran and Oman to discuss future arrangements for the waterway with other Gulf countries and in line with applicable international law.