Iran's newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority claims regulatory control over waters south of the UAE's Fujairah port, extending from Kuh-e Mubarak in Iran to areas south of Fujairah and along the line connecting Qeshm Island to Umm Al-Quwain in the UAE [1, 2]. Since the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States began on February 28, 2026, Iran has controlled traffic through the Strait of Hormuz [1, 2].

Iran is now seeking to charge vessels for passage through the strait and insists that all ships obtain prior permission from Iranian armed forces before transiting the waterway [1, 2]. This demand comes amid severely strained relations between Tehran and Abu Dhabi. Iran accuses the UAE of actively participating in the war, accusations the UAE firmly denies [1, 2].

The UAE strongly opposes Iran’s assertion of control over the strait and has called for collective action to guarantee freedom of navigation in the critical shipping lane [1, 2]. In response, the UAE is expediting the construction of a new oil export pipeline, the West-East Pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz through Fujairah port. This pipeline is expected to double the export capacity of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and is slated to become operational in 2027 [1, 2].

Iran has repeatedly accused Gulf states of permitting US forces to launch attacks from their territories, claims the Gulf states deny [1, 2]. On May 20, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported allowing 26 ships, including oil tankers, to cross the strait within the previous 24 hours [1]. The week before, Iran said more than 30 vessels, including some from China, had been permitted to pass through [1].

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority made its jurisdiction claims public on May 20 via social media posts mapping their control over waters south of Fujairah [1, 2]. The UAE had announced its accelerated pipeline construction on May 15 [1]. The outbreak of war on February 28 led to Iran’s takeover of strait traffic control [1, 2].

The West-East Pipeline through Fujairah is scheduled to become operational next year, with sources agreeing on 2027 as the target date [1, 2].