Is UAE instigating a US seizure of long disputed Gulf islands?
Responsible Statecraft • • world
Key Points:
- The UAE has shifted from détente to a confrontational stance against Iran amid ongoing conflict, advocating for a multinational military effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has controlled since early last month.
- The longstanding territorial dispute over Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands remains a core issue, with Iran maintaining control since 1971 and the UAE asserting rightful ownership as part of its national pride.
- Iran has warned that any military attempt to reclaim these islands would provoke severe retaliation, potentially destabilizing the Gulf economies and escalating regional conflict.
- Experts caution that a military operation to seize and hold the islands would be highly risky and likely unfeasible, requiring massive troop deployments and risking prolonged vulnerability to Iranian attacks.
- The UAE’s current rhetoric may be more about signaling loyalty to the Trump administration and positioning itself as a key U.S. ally in the Gulf, rather than an immediate intent to launch a military campaign.
