Kuwait denies territorial waters used as 'gateway to smuggle weapons' to Yemen's Houthis
Kuwait denies territorial waters used as 'gateway to smuggle weapons' to Yemen's Houthis
An earlier report claimed that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were using waters further up the Gulf between Kuwait and Iran to ensure arms shipments reach Yemen's rebels.
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The Saudi-led coalition's war against Houthi rebels has cost more than 13,000 lives [Getty]
The Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs denied reports on Wednesday that Iran is using Kuwaiti waters as a gateway to smuggle weapons to Yemen's Houthis.
"The [official Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs] source confirmed that Kuwaiti territorial waters are under the full control of the Kuwaiti naval force and the General Directorate of the Coast Guard and monitored by all means round the clock," the statement read.
"The General Directorate of the Coast Guard has not detected any suspicious activities in the maritime areas under its control," it added.
The report, published by Reuters, claimed that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had begun using waters further up the Gulf between Kuwait and Iran to ensure arms shipments reach the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
A senior Iranian official claimed that Kuwaiti waters provided "a safe route" for the smuggling of weapons.
They cited Western and Iranian sources. The IRGC denied to comment.
Kuwaiti officials refused respond to questions, while a US Navy spokesperson had no information on the issue.
The report was widely circulated, sparking questions on Kuwait's ability to secure its maritime borders.
The New Arab has contacted the Kuwaiti embassy in London for a statement.
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