Egypt behind UAE to counter attempts to destabilise Gulf

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reaffirmed his support for the UAE as it confronts attempts to destabilise the Gulf.

Last week the US Navy’s fifth fleet evacuated the crew members of two crude oil tankers after receiving distress calls from the ships which were located in the Gulf of Oman.

The US and Saudi Arabia have blamed Iran for the attack last Thursday and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has said the kingdom “won’t hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, out territory, our vital interests.”

Yesterday, British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said Britain was “almost certain” Iran was behind the attacks.

At a recent event in Cyprus UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said that the Emirates along with other countries presented evidence to the UN Security Council that the attacks were state sponsored.

Iran has denied any involvement.

Read: Saudi crown prince blames Iran for oil tanker attacks

A month ago four other boats were targeted off the UAE coast. During a press conference in Bulgaria Al-Nahyan said: “For us, the attacks on four oil tankers in the UAE’s territorial waters are evidence that we, alongside our various partner countries, have identified as underwater explosions, utilising sophisticated technologies.”

“These capabilities are not present in illegal non-state actors or groups. These are disciplined processes carried out by a state. However, until now, there is insufficient evidence to point to a particular country.”

During a meeting yesterday with Al-Nahyan, Al-Sisi said he is following with concern developments in the Gulf region and reaffirmed that Gulf security is an integral part of Egypt’s national security.

The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close allies, enforcing the boycott on Qatar, propping up the Military Transitional Council in Sudan and backing the Libyan Commander Khalifa Haftar as he bombards Tripoli.

Read: Iran Parliament Speaker hints US could have planned oil tanker attacks