Kuwait Accuses Iran of "Armed Infiltration" on Bubiyan Island; Iran Claims Patrol Boat Had "Navigation Malfunction"

Xinhua News Agency, Kuwait City/Tehran, May 12 (Reporter Yin Zhao, Chen Xiao) The Kuwaiti government on the 12th identified that several armed personnel from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to "infiltrate" Kuwait's Bubiyan Island from the sea to carry out "hostile actions" earlier this month. The Iranian Foreign Ministry responded that this claim is "baseless."

Bubiyan Island is located in the northwestern part of the Persian Gulf, facing Iran's southwestern Khuzestan Province across the sea.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that on May 1, Iranian armed personnel traveled to Bubiyan Island on a fishing boat and exchanged fire with Kuwaiti troops stationed on the island, resulting in one Kuwaiti soldier being injured. Two Iranian personnel escaped during the exchange, while four were captured and later confessed that they were dispatched by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to carry out "hostile actions" against Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense reported on the 3rd that the Kuwaiti armed forces thwarted an infiltration attempt in Kuwaiti territorial waters, capturing four individuals attempting to illegally enter the country, who were handed over to the relevant authorities for investigation.

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the 12th, strongly condemning and denouncing the "infiltration of Bubiyan Island by armed personnel of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and their attempt to carry out hostile actions," demanding that Iran "immediately and unconditionally cease illegal hostile acts that threaten regional security and stability," stating that Iran's actions undermine efforts by the region and the international community to de-escalate the situation.

On the same day, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, issued a statement saying that personnel from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps illegally infiltrated Kuwait's Bubiyan Island and clashed with Kuwaiti forces, actions that seriously violate international law and the United Nations Charter. Aboul Gheit emphasized that the Arab League firmly opposes any actions that threaten Kuwait.

In response to the Kuwaiti claims, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the Kuwaiti government for "improperly using political and propaganda means" to handle the incident involving four Iranian officers who mistakenly entered Kuwaiti territorial waters due to "navigation system failure." The statement said that at the time of the incident, the four Iranian officers were on a routine maritime patrol mission.

The statement emphasized that Iran has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region, including Kuwait, and hopes that the Kuwaiti government will address the issue through official channels to avoid "hasty comments and unfounded accusations."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized that it is necessary to immediately allow the Iranian embassy in Kuwait to visit the detained Iranian personnel in accordance with international law and to release them immediately.