Iran conducted a naval drill on Abu Musa island — disputed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — on Wednesday, while the country’s oil minister said the country will not relinquish its rights to the likewise disputed Durra gas field, possibly setting the stage for increased tensions with Arab states in the Gulf.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held a “naval war game” on the island focusing on the defense of Iran’s islands in the Gulf. The exercise featured the use of combat troops, drones, missiles, vessels and electromagnetic warfare, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
The drill also included the Greater and Lesser Tunb islands to the north of Abu Musa, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji told reporters on Wednesday that Iran will not cede its rights to the Durra gas field, known as Arash in Iran.
