Kuwait has appealed to Iran to embark on negotiations surrounding the delimitation of their maritime borders, whilst reaffirming its exclusive rights alongside Saudi Arabia over the contested Al Durra offshore gas field.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait underscored, through the state news agency Kuna, that the marine zone encompassing the Al Durra field is indisputably part of Kuwait’s maritime territory. The natural resources found therein are exclusively a shared entitlement between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
“Only Kuwait and Saudi Arabia possess exclusive rights over the natural resources of the Al Durra field,” reaffirmed an anonymous ministry source.
Negotiations held in Tehran in March saw Kuwaiti and Iranian officials jointly discussing the demarcation of their maritime borders. Both parties emphasised the imperative of resolving the issue in alignment with international law.
However, Iran voiced opposition a year earlier, branding the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to cultivate the gas field as “illegal”. Iran insisted on its stake in the field, asserting that it should be included in any developmental discussions.
Situated in the neutral zone shared between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the field is forecasted to yield one billion cubic feet of gas and 84,000 barrels of condensate per day. Iran has laid claims to a portion of the field, referred to as Arash in Iran, and pledged to advance with the development of what it perceives as its own sector.
Back in 2016, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reported instances of the Iranian navy launching attacks in the waters adjacent to the neutral zone.
Image Credit: Martin Adams on Unplash
