The United Arab Emirates has welcomed a major move by the International Maritime Organisation to establish a safe shipping corridor in the Gulf, calling it a critical step to protect global trade and stranded seafarers amid escalating tensions.
In a statement following the IMO Council's emergency session in London, the UAE backed the decision to strongly condemn Iranian threats and attacks on commercial vessels, as well as what it described as Tehran's attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE warned that such actions pose a grave danger to lives at sea and a serious risk to the marine environment.
The IMO's proposal, announced after two days of urgent talks, calls for the creation of a "safe maritime corridor" as an immediate and temporary measure. Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the humanitarian passage would allow ships to be evacuated from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, where thousands remain stranded.
According to the UN body, roughly 20,000 seafarers are currently stuck aboard nearly 3,200 vessels in waters west of the chokepoint, as Iranian attacks have effectively disrupted traffic through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.
The UAE underscored the global stakes, noting that the Strait of Hormuz is not just a key energy route, handling around a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas, but also a vital artery for international trade, including fertilisers, minerals, petrochemicals, and essential goods.
Abu Dhabi warned that any disruption to this corridor carries far-reaching consequences for global markets, economic stability, and the cost of living worldwide, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Reiterating its position, the UAE said any attempt to weaponise the Strait or use it as a tool of economic coercion is unacceptable, cautioning that such actions risk undermining regional stability and the broader global economic order.
