UAE says it withdrew from US-led maritime coalition tasked with securing Gulf waters

Abu Dhabi announces its departure 2 months ago from Combined Maritime Forces, without specifying reason; tensions remain high with Iran

Ilustrative -- In this photo released by Combined Maritime Forces, a boarding team from a British royal navy vessel, the HMS Montrose, transits towards a stateless dhow, a traditional cargo ship that plies the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters, in the northern Arabian Sea, Oct. 14, 2020 (Combined Maritime Forces via AP)
Ilustrative -- In this photo released by Combined Maritime Forces, a boarding team from a British royal navy vessel, the HMS Montrose, transits towards a stateless dhow, a traditional cargo ship that plies the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters, in the northern Arabian Sea, Oct. 14, 2020 (Combined Maritime Forces via AP)

ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates has withdrawn from a US-led maritime coalition tasked with securing tense Gulf waterways that are vital to the global oil trade, it said Wednesday.

The UAE “withdrew its participation” in the 38-nation Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, a foreign ministry statement said, without giving reasons for the move.

“As a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners, two months ago, the UAE withdrew its participation in the Combined Maritime Forces,” said the statement carried by the official WAM news agency.

The Bahrain-headquartered CMF was established in 2001, initially as a partnership between 12 nations. It is active in crucial but troubled Gulf waters where tankers have been seized and attacked in recent months.

A spokesperson for the Combined Maritime Forces said the UAE remains a partner nation, despite putting its participation on hold.

“The CMF still includes 38 partner nations, of which the UAE is one,” Commander Timothy Hawkins told AFP.

US Navy personnel stand at attention at the entrance to US 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces in Manama on January 11, 2019. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / POOL / AFP))

Iran seized two tankers in a week in late April and early May, including one empty ship that was traveling between the UAE ports of Dubai and Fujairah.

Iran was also accused of launching a drone attack against an Israeli-owned tanker in November 2022, stoking tensions with the United States.

Earlier this month, the US said it was sending reinforcements to the Gulf, which carries at least a third of the world’s sea-borne oil, after what it called increasing harassment by Iran.

The commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Vice-Admiral Brad Cooper, later transited through the Strait of Hormuz in a guided-missile destroyer along with British and French naval commanders.

Iran responded by saying it is capable of ensuring the safety of Gulf waters in cooperation with neighboring countries.

“The UAE remains committed to responsibly ensuring the safety of navigation in its seas,” the UAE statement said, adding that the major oil exporter is “committed to peaceful dialogue and diplomatic engagement.”

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