Iran threatens tighter controls on Hormuz
Pressure is also building closer to the UAE.
An Iranian official said Wednesday that Tehran would soon block what it describes as “illegal routes” through the Strait of Hormuz, including passages close to Oman’s coast. Iran says some of these routes are being used to move oil outside its restrictions.
Iranian officials claim daily ship traffic through the strait has fallen from around 125 vessels before the war to about 10 today.
For UAE residents, Hormuz remains one of the most important developments to watch. Continued restrictions or attacks can increase shipping and insurance costs and complicate the movement of goods throughout the Gulf.
US-Iran negotiations remain stuck
Oil moves back above $100
Energy markets reacted to the fresh escalation on Wednesday, with Brent crude climbing above $100 a barrel as investors weighed the risk to Middle Eastern supplies.
The US Energy Information Administration has also raised its oil-price forecasts, citing depleted global inventories and continuing disruption caused by the Iran war. It now expects Brent to average about $105 a barrel in the fourth quarter of 2026.
For UAE residents, that does not automatically mean an immediate rise in everyday costs. But sustained increases in oil, freight and insurance prices can eventually feed through to transport and imported goods.
For now, there is no new official UAE guidance suggesting residents need to change their normal daily routines. The main issues to watch are the Saudi-Houthi escalation, security around Bab Al Mandab and Hormuz, the US-Iran diplomatic deadlock, and oil prices.
