A few days prior to the U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran on February 28, the Iraqi government submitted a claim to the UN regarding Gulf waters, outlining specific geographical coordinates. This move incited immediate backlash, particularly from Gulf Cooperation Council nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. The long-standing issue of Iraq’s access to these strategic waters has escalated in the current tense regional climate, especially with Iran’s vested interests.
The core of this dispute is deeply geopolitical; Iraq seeks to overcome its landlocked status. In 1914, the UK established a protectorate over Kuwait to prevent the Ottoman Empire and Germany from acquiring a deepwater port that could threaten the crucial route to India. Following its independence from the UK in 1932, Iraq found itself with limited maritime access, possessing only a short stretch of muddy coastline and the port of Basra along the Shatt al-Arab waterway, which it shares with Iran.
While Iraq developed the port of Umm Qasr to secure a more stable sea outlet, it has historically contested Kuwait’s sovereignty. After the 1958 Free Officers’ revolt, Iraq claimed sovereignty over Kuwait, refusing to recognize its independence for two years. This historical context underscores Iraq’s ongoing claims to the islands of Bubiyan and Warbah, which remain under Kuwaiti control.
