Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday (local time) criticized Kuwait for the “illegal” attack on an Iranian ship and called for the release of its citizens who were detained.
In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: “In a clear attempt to sow discord, Kuwait illegally attacked an Iranian ship and detained 4 of our citizens in the Persian Gulf. This illegal act took place near an island that the US used to attack Iran.” He added: “We demand the immediate release of our citizens and reserve the right to respond.”
Araghchi’s comments came a day after Kuwait’s interior ministry announced on Tuesday that it had arrested four people linked to Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who tried to enter the Gulf state by sea.
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Kuwait arrests four Iranian citizens
Kuwait’s interior ministry said in a statement on X on Tuesday that the operation took place on May 1, when naval officers arrested “on board a fishing vessel specially chartered to carry out hostilities against Kuwait” who admitted they had been tasked with “infiltration” by the IRGC.
Kuwait summoned Iran’s ambassador and handed him a note of protest against what it described as the IRGC’s infiltration of Bubiyan Island, the foreign ministry said.
Al Jazeera reported that the Ministry of Interior identified the members of the IRGC group as Colonel Amir Hussein Abd Mohammed Zara’i and Colonel Abdulsamad Yadallah Qanwati, Captain Ahmed Jamshid Gholam Reza Zulfiqari and First Lieutenant Mohammed Hussein Sehrab Faroughi Rad.
During the confrontation with Kuwaiti forces on the island, gunfire injured one member of the Kuwaiti service, the ministry added. Two other members of the group – Navy Captain Mansour Qambari and Ship Captain Abdulali Kazem Siamari reportedly escaped during the clash.
Bubiyan Island is the largest of Kuwait’s offshore island chain, located in the northwest of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait condemned the incident as an act of hostility and said it reserved the right to defend its sovereignty under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
Read also | Kuwait records zero monthly oil exports in April, first since Gulf War: Report
Tehran rejects Kuwait’s accusation of hostilities
Tehran condemned the arrest of its four nationals, saying they were on a maritime patrol and had entered Kuwait’s territorial waters to “disrupt their navigation”.
Tehran also rejected Kuwait’s statement that Iran was planning “hostile actions” against the Gulf country and demanded that its embassy in Kuwait be allowed access to detained Iranian nationals.
In a statement on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called “inappropriate political and media actions by Kuwait”.
Kuwait calls alleged invasion ‘flagrant violation’
Kuwait City’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the alleged invasion a “flagrant violation” of Kuwaiti sovereignty and a serious violation of international law. It also asked Tehran to immediately and unconditionally stop “illegal hostile acts”.
Separately, Kuwait’s foreign minister received a phone call from his Bahraini counterpart, who also condemned the infiltration and affirmed “Kuwait’s full right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and protect its people.”
Kuwait intercepts enemy drones
Earlier this week, Kuwait also intercepted “a number of hostile drones” in its airspace; however, she did not specify where the drones were launched from.
The invasion followed strikes in April targeting the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, one of the largest oil refineries in the Middle East, as well as a power plant and desalination plant in Kuwait. Kuwaiti authorities blamed Iran for the attacks.
On March 30, an Indian national was killed in a separate strike on a Kuwaiti power plant and desalination plant, which Kuwait also attributed to Iran. Tehran denied responsibility for both incidents and instead blamed Israel for carrying out the attacks.
Peace talks between the US and Iran in limbo?
Tensions in the Middle East region are escalating again as the United States and Iran continue to work on a framework agreement to end the war. With the shaky ceasefire still in place, both sides have renewed warnings of military strikes if the truce collapses. At the same time, Iran has stepped up attacks in the region. In early May, Iranian drones attacked an oil site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Read also | Three Indians were injured after an Iranian drone attack on a UAE oil site
The latest confrontation between Kuwait and Iran has added to growing instability across the Gulf region, where fears of further escalation remain high despite ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. As the two sides trade accusations and regional security incidents mount, fears are growing that the fragile truce could unravel further.
