ALBAWABA- Iran has seized an Emirati oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz and diverted it toward the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, Iranian news agencies Fars and Mehr reported Wednesday, in the latest escalation between Tehran and Abu Dhabi.
The vessel was initially reported as heading toward Jebel Ali in the UAE before its destination was changed to Bandar Abbas. The reported seizure came only a day after the UAE announced the suspension of all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.
Abu Dhabi said the decision was prompted by the worsening regional security situation, while reaffirming its commitment to dialogue, cooperation and regional stability. The measure represents a significant deterioration in relations between two countries that have maintained extensive commercial ties, with the UAE historically serving as an important trading and re-export hub for Iranian businesses.
The latest maritime confrontation follows a series of incidents involving UAE-linked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE has accused Iran of attacking multiple vessels operated by or linked to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), including two vessels targeted within less than a week. Abu Dhabi has described the attacks as hostile actions against commercial shipping and called for the waterway to be fully reopened. Iran has not accepted the UAE's allegations.
The seizure also follows a separate incident earlier this week in which Iranian media reported that an Emirati tanker had been detained near Qeshm Island while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The maritime tensions have unfolded alongside a broader confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy chokepoints. Iranian officials have asserted that Tehran controls and manages passage through the waterway and have warned that vessels cannot transit without Iranian authorization.
The United States, meanwhile, has sought to maintain maritime access and has increased economic and military pressure on Iran. Shipping through the strait has fallen sharply from pre-war levels as vessels avoid the increasingly dangerous route.
The crisis intensified further this week after the UAE said its air defenses detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Abu Dhabi initially reported that one missile fell outside its territorial waters and another inside them. UAE officials later said they assessed that the missiles were directed at maritime traffic rather than the UAE itself. Iran denied responsibility for the alleged launches, calling the accusation baseless.
The missile incident was followed by the UAE's decision to halt economic and financial dealings with Iran, adding an economic dimension to what had increasingly become a maritime and security confrontation. UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also spoke with US President Donald Trump as tensions mounted, with the two leaders discussing regional developments and bilateral cooperation.
The developments come as the broader US-Iran diplomatic framework has collapsed. The 60-day memorandum agreed in June was intended to provide a period for negotiations, but the deadline expired without a comprehensive settlement. Trump has rejected an extension and Washington has increased pressure on Tehran, while Iranian officials have warned that their military posture could shift from defensive operations toward a more offensive approach if diplomacy fails.
The reported tanker seizure therefore marks more than another isolated maritime incident. Coming immediately after Abu Dhabi's economic break with Tehran and amid repeated attacks on UAE-linked shipping, it suggests that the confrontation between Iran and the UAE is becoming increasingly intertwined with the wider US-Iran struggle over sanctions, maritime access and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
