Kuwait condemns Iranian attacks, says sovereignty violated

Egypt condemned Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday, saying they threatened the security and sovereignty of Arab states.

Egypt’s foreign ministry said the attacks marked a serious escalation and undermined efforts to reduce tensions and strengthen regional security.

The ministry said Cairo fully rejected attacks that targeted the security and sovereignty of Arab countries and said it stood in solidarity with the four Persian Gulf states.

It said there could be no justification for such attacks and called for restraint, respect for international law and efforts to prevent further instability in the region.

India condemned an attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman on Sunday, saying one Indian national was missing and 10 others had been rescued.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 11 Indian nationals were on board the vessel and that its embassy in Oman was coordinating with Omani authorities in the search and rescue operation.

“The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome,” the ministry said.

India called for immediate de-escalation and a diplomatic solution, saying attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must end.

It said free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored in line with international law.

Earlier, US Central Command said it had launched a third round of strikes against Iran this week after IRGC forces attacked the GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar urged Iran to follow the path of de-escalation and restraint in line with the MoU with Washington, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Dar made the remarks in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to the ministry.

The two discussed the evolving regional situation, with Dar saying dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

Dar also expressed Islamabad’s readiness to keep playing a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

The crew of a container ship damaged in an incident 9 nautical miles east of Oman has been rescued by local authorities after abandoning the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday.

UKMTO said the ship sustained damage to its stern, causing a fire on board. The crew initially abandoned the vessel and boarded a lifeboat before being rescued, it said.

Authorities were continuing to investigate the incident, while UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

Iran's Foreign Ministry gave details on talks held by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart in Muscat on Saturday, saying they focused on future arrangements for managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the talks, attended by legal and technical delegations from both countries, covered "the security and safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," while respecting "the sovereign rights of the two coastal states," international law and Clause 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.

Baghaei said Iran believed "future arrangements for managing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz must be made through consultations between the two coastal states" and should take account of "recent months' developments, especially the imposed US-Israeli war and its security consequences for shipping."

He said Iran and Oman agreed to continue political, legal and technical talks to reach "a common understanding" on maritime security in the strait, adding that a Qatari delegation attended part of the discussions.