By Pishtaz | 2026-05-07

The United Arab Emirates reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz must remain fully open to all international maritime traffic.

This vital waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is strictly classified under UNCLOS regulations.

UNCLOS Article 38 guarantees all ships and aircraft a non-suspendable right of transit passage through these international straits.

This legal framework prohibits bordering states like Iran and Oman from ever impeding or suspending the flow of navigation.

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said that "the Strait of Hormuz has never been Iran’s to close or restrict."

"Any attempt to do so is not a regional issue; it is the disruption of a global economic lifeline and a direct threat to the energy, food and health security of every nation," he said in an X post on April 12.

The legal reality is reinforced by international practice since the strait is the only viable route for Gulf energy.

It is therefore treated as a critical international transit corridor according to the standards of customary international law.

The United States Freedom of Navigation program continues to enforce these principles even where treaty participation remains incomplete.

Recent maritime instability has intensified concern across global shipping networks and triggered high levels of international alarm.

UAE officials report at least 22 vessels attacked and 10 crew members killed in incidents since late February.

At least 800 commercial vessels have been disrupted, while thousands of seafarers have faced unsafe or blocked passage through the region.