(SeaPRwire) – The fragile ceasefire in the Iran conflict faced another test on Sunday as a drone ignited a minor blaze aboard a vessel off Qatar’s coast, while both the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reported separate incursions by drones into their airspace.
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The UAE accused Iran of orchestrating the latest assault, marking yet another escalation threatening the one-month-old truce, which the Trump administration maintains is still in effect.
No injuries were reported, and no party immediately claimed responsibility for the incidents.
Iran and its affiliated militant groups control a substantial fleet of drones and have deployed them to carry out numerous strikes since the war began. These recent events represent further challenges to the month-old ceasefire, which the U.S. government continues to assert remains active.
The truce has encountered ongoing difficulties, including Iran’s restriction of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital global oil shipping route—and the United States imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.
Washington has been awaiting Iran’s response to a new proposal aimed at ending the war, reopening the strait to international shipping, and scaling back Tehran’s nuclear activities. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that he may resume large-scale bombing campaigns if Iran refuses to accept terms calling for the strait’s reopening and nuclear concessions. Iran has largely blocked the waterway since joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28 triggered the current phase of the conflict, which has driven up global fuel prices and unsettled international markets.
A key obstacle in the negotiations centers on the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran possesses more than 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity—just one technical step away from weapons-grade material.
In an interview with Iranian state media, a military spokesman stated that forces were “fully prepared” to defend nuclear facilities where this uranium is stored.
“We believe it is possible they might attempt to seize it via infiltration or helicopter-borne operations,” said Brigadier General Akrami Nia of the IRNA news agency late Saturday, though he provided no additional details.
Most of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is believed to remain at the Isfahan nuclear complex, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi told The Associated Press last month.
The Isfahan facility was targeted during intense U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in the 12-day war last year and again received less severe attacks in the current conflict.
Gulf nations targeted by drone assaults
The UAE’s Ministry of Defense announced it had intercepted two drones and held Iran responsible for the attack.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Defense Ministry spokesperson, Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al Otaibi, confirmed that hostile drones entered Kuwaiti airspace early Sunday, prompting a response “in accordance with established protocols.” The ministry did not specify the origin of the drones.
Additionally, Qatar’s defense ministry reported that a drone struck a commercial ship arriving from Abu Dhabi at a southern port, igniting a small fire that was quickly extinguished. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre noted the incident occurred 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of Doha, but offered no information about the vessel’s ownership or nationality, and no group claimed responsibility.
This follows several other ship-related attacks in the Persian Gulf over the past week. On Friday, the U.S. launched strikes against two Iranian oil tankers after asserting the vessels were attempting to breach the American naval blockade of Iran’s harbors.
On Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy reaffirmed its warning that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or civilian ships would be answered with a “forceful retaliation” targeting U.S. bases and enemy vessels in the region.
Pakistan continues to serve as a mediator during the ceasefire period. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed he spoke by phone with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during which the leaders discussed the evolving regional situation and assessed ongoing peace initiatives.
Sharif posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the two nations share “brotherly ties” and expressed anticipation for an upcoming official visit from Qatar to Pakistan.
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