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UAE official Anwar Gargash said any settlement of the US-Iran war must guarantee access through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that a deal that fails to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme and its missiles and drones would pave the way for “a more dangerous, more volatile Middle East.”

Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, told a weekend briefing that the Strait of Hormuz - the world’s most critical oil artery - cannot be weaponised, stressing that its security is not a regional bargaining chip but a global economic imperative.

“The Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage by any country,” said Gargash, adding that freedom of navigation through the waterway “has to be part and parcel of the settlement of any conflict with clear agreement on that.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they are completing preparations to enforce new operating conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, reports Reuters.

Gargash said the UAE wants the war to end, but warned against a ceasefire that leaves the root causes of instability unresolved. “We don’t want to see more and more escalation,” he said. “But we don’t want a ceasefire that fails to address some of the main issues that will create a much more dangerous environment in the region...notably (Iran’s) nuclear programme, the missiles and drones that are still raining down on us and on other countries.”

US President Donald Trump threatened to rain “hell” on Tehran if it did not make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his today’s deadline, reports AFP. Gargash said the United Arab Emirates was ready to join any US-led international effort to secure shipping through the strait.

About a fifth of global oil and liquefied gas supplies normally pass through it each day, but Iran’s actions have severely curtailed traffic, triggering a global energy crisis.

The UAE has come under heavier Iranian strikes than any other Gulf state, according to regional officials. Gargash said that for decades, the most unlikely worst case scenario for the UAE had been a full Iranian attack - a scenario that is now unfolding. Despite that, he said, the country was coping well, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness under pressure.