In what could be a major diplomatic conflict, Kuwait has summoned Iran’s ambassador after accusing four Iranian Revolutionary Guards men of trying to infiltrate into Kuwaiti territory using fishing boats.
According to the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry, four people entered the country illegally by sea into Bubiyan Island, Kuwait's largest island located in the northern Gulf near Iraq and Iran. The Island is also home to the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, one of Kuwait’s biggest strategic infrastructure developments, and is linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Kuwait Vision 2035 plans.
The group allegedly included two naval captains, a naval lieutenant and an army lieutenant linked to the Guards. They were accompanied by two others, who managed to escape, according to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior. During the operation to capture the infiltrators, a member of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces was injured.
Kuwait also claimed that these men were allegedly preparing to carry out “hostile acts” inside the Gulf state. The statement said they were tasked with using a fishing boat that had been specially rented to carry out "hostile acts" against Kuwait by infiltrating Bubiyan Island.
The monarchy also summoned Iran's ambassador after arresting four Revolutionary Guard infiltrators
The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry announced that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador over what it described as an attempt by a group linked to the Revolutionary Guard to infiltrate Bubiyan Island.
However, Iran has denied that the individuals had infiltrated to carry out "hostile acts," describing them as "baseless" claims. Demanding their immediate release, Tehran said the IRGC men had entered into Kuwaiti territorial waters resulted from a "malfunction in the navigation system" of their boat. Iran also condemned what it described as Kuwait’s “improper political and propaganda exploitation” of the case.
