Abu Musa

Abu Musa is a small island in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, administered by Iran since 1971 when Iranian forces occupied it just before the UAE's independence, a territorial dispute that remains unresolved and is the longest-running sovereignty conflict in the Gulf. The UAE claims the island (along with the Greater and Lesser Tunbs) as part of Sharjah emirate; Iran considers it sovereign Iranian territory. Abu Musa sits approximately 50 kilometres from the UAE coast and lies within the Hormuz shipping lanes, giving it direct tactical relevance to any entity controlling Hormuz transit.

In the 2026 Iran conflict, Abu Musa has appeared in coverage discussing Iran's ability to enforce its four-condition Hormuz transit order. The island hosts an IRGC garrison and has been used for radar, communications, and fast-attack boat operations. Its position close to the designated Hormuz Traffic Separation Scheme lanes means IRGC units based on Abu Musa can monitor and intercept vessels attempting to transit through channels Iran has declared off-limits.

The UAE does not formally recognise Iranian control and raised the issue at the Arab League; the dispute has historically complicated UAE-Iran relations. In the blockade context, Abu Musa represents a forward IRGC outpost that extends Tehran's enforcement reach without requiring surface vessels to deploy from the mainland, a tactical asset the IRGC can use regardless of whether the broader Ceasefire holds.