Anchored vessel ‘taken’ from UAE coast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — A ship off the UAE coast near the Strait of Hormuz has been taken by unknown people and is now headed towards Iranian waters, a UK maritime agency said on Thursday.

The vessel was “taken by unauthorized personnel whilst at anchor” 70 kilometers northeast of Fujairah, and “is now bound for Iranian territorial waters,” according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

Several ships have been attacked in or near the key waterway as Iran and the United States push on with rival blockades.

Iran has largely blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — which normally carries one fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments — since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on 28 February.

The US has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports despite a fragile ceasefire in place since 8 April.

On Sunday, South Korea said a cargo ship had been struck by unidentified aircraft in Hormuz, while Qatar said a freighter arriving in the country’s waters from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone.

Flux warning

Meanwhile, BRICS foreign ministers, including from Iran and Russia, met in New Delhi on Thursday, where India warned of “considerable flux” with conflict driving economic uncertainty and energy insecurity.

War in Iran and the related fuel crisis are dominating discussions in the two-day gathering.

India, which holds the BRICS chair this year, was hosting the foreign ministers from the expanded bloc, which now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — countries at odds over the conflict.

Among the foreign ministers attending were Iran’s Abbas Araghchi and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov.

“Ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainties, and challenges in trade, technology, and climate are shaping the global landscape,” India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said, in his opening speech, before closed meetings began.

“There is a growing expectation, particularly from emerging markets and developing countries, that BRICS will play a constructive and stabilizing role.”

Disruptions around Gulf shipping routes and the Strait of Hormuz continue to drive volatility in oil and gas markets, increasing pressure on energy-importing economies, including India.

“Development issues remain central,” Jaishankar added. “Many countries continue to face challenges on energy, food, fertilizer and health security, as well as also access to finance.”