Wall Street Journal: Emirates preparing to help US open Hormuz by force

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is preparing to help the US forcibly clear the passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the American newspaper Wall Street Journal reports today.

Citing several unnamed Arab officials, the newspaper states that the Emirates are considering how they could contribute militarily.

One possibility is to participate in mine clearance and provide support.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Emirates believe that US forces should seize strategically important islands in the strait, including Abu Musa Island.

About 20 percent of the world's oil and gas, as well as large quantities of other goods, pass through Hormuz, and Iran's blockade of the strait has caused oil prices to rise, at one point exceeding $100 per barrel.

The American newspaper states that the UAE is lobbying for a United Nations Security Council resolution that would authorize the opening of Hormuz, and the resolution would be sponsored by Bahrain.

The Emirates called on the US and other countries in Europe and Asia to form a coalition to open the strait.

One of the Arab officials who spoke to the American newspaper assessed that the Iranian regime, in its fight for survival, is ready to destroy the global economy by blocking Hormuz.

Even if the UN resolution fails, officials from the Persian Gulf countries believe that the Emirates will join the war, writes the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reported on March 24 that the Emirates and Saudi Arabia were approaching a decision to join the war against Iran, due to constant attacks on them and the risk of Tehran gaining long-term influence in the Strait of Hormuz.

A few days earlier, the foreign ministers of 12 Arab and Islamic countries held a meeting in Riyadh, after which they condemned Iran's attacks and announced that their countries reserved the right to defend themselves.

A few hours before Saudi Arabia's minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, addressed reporters, eight Iranian ballistic missiles were shot down over Riyadh.

"The attack on Riyadh while several diplomats are meeting cannot be considered accidental... My diplomatic career is not that long, so I have never experienced such an obvious attempt at blackmail, such as a missile attack while a diplomatic meeting is taking place," bin Farhan Al Saud said.