A longstanding maritime dispute between Iraq and Kuwait resurfaced over the weekend after Baghdad submitted a map and coordinates to the United Nations, claiming areas in the Persian Gulf waters that Kuwait also asserts as its territory.

Key developments:

• Kuwait’s foreign ministry said Iraq’s claim infringes on its sovereignty, including the Fasht al-Qaid and Fasht al-Aij shoals.

• Gulf neighbours, including Qatar, UAE, and Oman, publicly supported Kuwait; Saudi Arabia expressed “serious concerns” over encroachment on a joint Saudi-Kuwaiti zone.

• Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein defended Iraq’s submission, highlighting Kuwait’s 2014 UN map deposit and committing to international law and regional stability.

• The dispute revives tensions over Khor Abdullah, a shared waterway, following a 2023 Iraqi court annulment of a 2012 bilateral navigation agreement.

Despite improved post-2003 relations, maritime boundaries remain a sensitive point between the two Gulf nations.

ℹ️ AP News

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