22 people rescued from oil tanker fire in the Arabian Gulf

It explained that the rescue operation began after the Coast Guard received a distress call from the tanker's crew reporting a fire on board, prompting specialized teams to move immediately, locate the vessel, and reach it to rescue the crew members.

It added that the teams provided the necessary first aid to the rescued individuals before handing them over to the relevant authorities, confirming that they are all in stable health condition.

The National Guard did not clarify the cause of the fire or the specific location of the tanker, nor did it mention its name or nationality.

The incident comes amid security tensions and unrest in the Gulf region since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran, resulting in thousands of deaths. Tehran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US sites in the region before a ceasefire was reached in April.

Later, the United States launched attacks on sites in Iran, amid stalled negotiations between the two countries, despite their signing of a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.

The stalemate in negotiations comes against the backdrop of disputes over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important strategic corridors for global energy and commodity supplies.

Since April 2026, Iran has imposed restrictions on maritime traffic in the Strait, including defining alternative transit routes and requiring prior coordination with the Revolutionary Guard's naval forces.

On May 30, Iran announced that ships transiting the Strait must obtain prior permission from the Revolutionary Guard Navy, warning that unauthorized transit constitutes a "security threat."

On September 6, the Revolutionary Guard's naval forces released video footage they claimed showed the targeting of commercial vessels with drones for attempting to transit through unapproved routes or without Iranian permission.

In the latest incident related to maritime tensions, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced on Friday that it had targeted a liquefied gas carrier while it was attempting to transit through an alternative route south of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the attack caused a fire in its engine room.

No immediate link was clear between these developments and the fire on the oil tanker whose crew the UAE National Guard announced it had rescued.