UAE Joins Coalition Backing Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz

By Ginika Igboke

The United Arab Emirates has joined a growing coalition of nations pledging to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” a joint statement released on March 21 said, adding that participating countries welcome ongoing coordination and planning efforts.

As of Saturday, 22 countries have committed to safeguarding the waterway, which carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies. The coalition includes the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Romania, Czechia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, New Zealand, and Bahrain.

The joint statement condemned recent actions by Iran, including attacks on commercial vessels and energy infrastructure, as well as the closure of the strait.

“We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict,” the statement said, calling on Iran to halt threats, mine-laying, and missile and drone attacks, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.

The coalition warned that continued disruption in the region could have global consequences, particularly for energy markets already impacted by ongoing hostilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 20 that while Iran has been significantly weakened militarily, it continues to obstruct traffic through the strait.

His remarks followed a Pentagon announcement that U.S. forces had launched operations using low-flying aircraft and Apache helicopters to target Iranian vessels in an effort to reopen the passage.

Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a 30-day sanctions waiver allowing Iranian oil already at sea to be sold through mid-April, aiming to stabilize global supply.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said conditions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz would normalize only if the United States and Israel halt military operations and commit to ending the conflict.

U.S. officials have described the strikes as preemptive measures to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, following unsuccessful negotiations between American and Iranian delegations in Geneva.