Kuwait, Iran FMs Affirm Commitment to Sustaining Dialogue, Supporting Stability

Kuwait's foreign minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of the ministerial-level talks of the Non-Aligned Movement (Kuwait Foreign Ministry)
Kuwait's foreign minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of the ministerial-level talks of the Non-Aligned Movement (Kuwait Foreign Ministry)
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Kuwait, Iran FMs Affirm Commitment to Sustaining Dialogue, Supporting Stability

Kuwait's foreign minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of the ministerial-level talks of the Non-Aligned Movement (Kuwait Foreign Ministry)
Kuwait's foreign minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of the ministerial-level talks of the Non-Aligned Movement (Kuwait Foreign Ministry)

Iran and Kuwait affirmed the importance of boosting cooperation to maintain the region's security, safety, and stability, stressing the need for preserving dialogue between them.

Kuwait's foreign minister Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah met with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on the sidelines of the ministerial-level talks of the Non-Aligned Movement members in Azerbaijan.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the meeting addressed the new regional and international developments and focused on the talks launched in Kuwait during the Iranian minister's recent visit last month.

The foreign ministers stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation to preserve the security and safety of the region, while asserting the need to continue dialogue and support all efforts that would improve regional and international stability.

The meeting comes after an escalation in the gas-rich offshore Durra field case after Iran hinted there were "full preparations to start drilling."

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Oil Minister Saad al-Barrak affirmed that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have an agreement over the gas field.

He told "Asharq News" on the sidelines of the 8th OPEC International Seminar that they must demarcate the border, urging Iran to enter "the demarcation of international borders, and after that, whoever has a right will get it according to the rules of international law."

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have an understanding regarding the Durra field, said the minister, adding that it was early to talk about production levels in the region shared with the Kingdom.

Kuwait stressed that the Durra field is a shared Kuwaiti-Saudi natural wealth, and no other party has any rights in it until the demarcation of the maritime borders is resolved.

"We categorically reject Iran's planned activities around the premises of the Durra offshore gas field," said Barrak.

On Monday, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry confirmed that the marine area in which the Durra field is in the marine area of Kuwait, that the natural resources are shared with Saudi Arabia, and that they have exclusive rights to the natural wealth in the field.

An official source in the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said the country renewed its call to the Iranian side to enter the demarcation talks with the Kuwaiti and Saudi sides as one negotiating party.

On Tuesday, an informed source in the Saudi Foreign Ministry confirmed that ownership of the natural resources in the divided submerged area, including the entire Durra field, is shared between the Kingdom and the State of Kuwait only.

He told Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait exclusively own natural wealth, including the Durra gas field, in the Gulf's maritime "Divided Area."

Saudi Arabia renewed its calls for Iran to start negotiations to demarcate the eastern border divided between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as one negotiating party.



Saudi Leadership Congratulates President of Pakistan on Independence Day

(R) Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, (L) Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
(R) Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, (L) Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
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Saudi Leadership Congratulates President of Pakistan on Independence Day

(R) Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, (L) Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
(R) Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, (L) Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The Saudi leadership congratulated Pakistan on its Independence Day, reaffirming the strong and longstanding ties between the two countries and their peoples, the Saudi Press Agency said Friday.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a cable of congratulations to President Asif Ali Zardari, wishing him continued good health and happiness and the government and people of Pakistan steady progress and prosperity.

King Salman also praised the strong relations binding the two countries and peoples, highlighting the shared commitment to advancing cooperation across all fields.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, also sent a cable of congratulations to President Zardari on Pakistan’s Independence Day. The Crown Prince similarly wished the Pakistani president good health and happiness and the government and people continued progress and prosperity.

 

 

 


UAE Condemns ‘Hostile Iranian Attack’ on 2 ADNOC Vessels in Hormuz Strait

Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
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UAE Condemns ‘Hostile Iranian Attack’ on 2 ADNOC Vessels in Hormuz Strait

Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

The United Arab Emirates on Friday blamed Iran for attacks on two vessels linked to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as they passed through the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier.

The UAE foreign ministry denounced what it called "the hostile Iranian attack" targeting two vessels affiliated with ADNOC "with no injuries reported.”

ADNOC confirmed "two of its vessels were attacked while transiting" the waterway on Thursday evening, adding the situation was "brought under control,” Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

Continued attacks in the strait led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the United States and Iran.


A British Firm Starts Containment of Oil Spill from Stricken Tanker off Oman

A satellite image shows the damaged vessel Caroline Bezengi and an oil slick off the Hallaniyat Islands, off the coast of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 5, 2026. Pléiades. CNES 2026, Distribution Airbus DS/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows the damaged vessel Caroline Bezengi and an oil slick off the Hallaniyat Islands, off the coast of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 5, 2026. Pléiades. CNES 2026, Distribution Airbus DS/Handout via REUTERS
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A British Firm Starts Containment of Oil Spill from Stricken Tanker off Oman

A satellite image shows the damaged vessel Caroline Bezengi and an oil slick off the Hallaniyat Islands, off the coast of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 5, 2026. Pléiades. CNES 2026, Distribution Airbus DS/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows the damaged vessel Caroline Bezengi and an oil slick off the Hallaniyat Islands, off the coast of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, August 5, 2026. Pléiades. CNES 2026, Distribution Airbus DS/Handout via REUTERS

A British company said Thursday it has been hired to salvage a grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman's coast and stop an oil spill that is threatening wildlife as it reaches the country's shoreline following its dramatic spread in recent weeks.

Satellite images have shown that oil from the tanker Caroline Bezengi has exponentially spread over hundreds of square kilometers during stormy weather, endangering a marine protected area. The region's “Khareef” monsoon season peaks in July and August.

Ambrey, a UK-based maritime risk and response company, said its personnel boarded the vessel with help from the Omani air force to assess its condition before stabilizing it.

The vessel has been grounded off Qabiliyah Island in southwestern Oman following an explosion of unclear cause in early June. Its cargo previously has been estimated at more than 800,000 barrels.

Satellite images also have shown that the tanker is increasingly submerged, and experts have warned of an unprecedented environmental disaster if the vessel sinks or breaks open and leaks its entire cargo.

“This is an extremely challenging situation, compounded by adverse weather conditions associated with the Khareef monsoon,” Ambrey's global response director Ed Wollaston said in a statement. The company did not immediately have any estimates of how long the salvage operation would take or cost.

Oman’s Environment Authority said Wednesday the oil spill has reached the shores of Ras Madrakah, more than 200 kilometers (more than 120 miles) north of Qabiliyah Island. Authorities said they estimated the spill could reach more than 100 kilometers further north, to Masirah Island.

Hanen Keskes, a campaigner for the environmental group Greenpeace, said it is “extremely concerning” that the oil has spread from an offshore spill to the shoreline where it can contaminate coastal sediments.

"It can make the cleanup significantly more complex than containment at sea,” she said. “Even after the slick has been contained and removed, the environmental impact can last for years."

The marine protected area of Qabiliyah Island includes coral reefs, seagrass meadows and endangered turtles, and offers breeding sites for migratory birds. The area is also home to the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale.

The remote area lacks infrastructure, making the salvage and containment more challenging and requiring more safety measures, Keskes said.

The 247-meter (899-foot) Caroline Bezengi is believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and has been sanctioned by the British government and the European Union for carrying cargoes of Russian oil.

It had left the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, in Russia, in May, according to geospatial data tracking company SynMax Maritime. The vessel’s owners are believed to be Shanghai-based. The vessel is unflagged, and it is not clear if it is insured.

It is only one of the environmental crises affecting the region. Off the coast of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian authorities are cleaning up an oil spill off of Qeshm Island that has been attributed to the conflict between Iran and the United States.

Images distributed by Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA show oil damage to the sandy beaches of Qeshm. It is not immediately clear what caused the spill.

Iran has said it should receive compensation for its efforts to contain the damage. But maritime tracking firm TankerTrackers.com posted satellite images on X saying it appears the spill was caused by an Iranian attack on a bulk container ship off of Oman. The spill drifted across the strait to Iran.