Saudi Arabia has said two of its oil tankers were damaged in "sabotage attacks" in the Gulf, as tensions soared in a region already shaken by a standoff between the United States and Iran.
It came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow to head to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran.
Tehran called for an investigation into the "alarming" attacks and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security.
The United States has already strengthened its military presence in the region, including deploying a number of strategic B-52 bombers in response to alleged Iranian threats.
Saudi Arabia, the Islamic republic's regional arch-rival, condemned "the acts of sabotage which targeted commercial and civilian vessels near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates," a foreign ministry source said.
"This criminal act constitutes a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and adversely impacts regional and international peace and security," the source added.
It gave no details about the nature of the sabotage and did not identify the vessels beyond saying they were of various nationalities. It said the incident did not result in spills.
The statement did not say who carried out the operations and made no mention of Iran, amid escalating tension in the region after the US military sent forces, including an aircraft carrier, to the Middle East.
The White House said the move was aimed at countering "clear indications" of threats from Iran to its forces there.
The US Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it was aware of the report when contacted by Reuters but referred queries to the UAE authorities.
The government of Fujairah earlier in a tweet denied media reports about blasts inside the port and said the facility was operating normally.
The statement did not identify the media outlets that published those reports but the Iranian Press TV website cited a Lebanese broadcaster, Mayadeen, saying seven oil tankers were attacked in the port.
The ministry statement also denied any incident had taken place inside the port. It said the UAE had taken all necessary measures and launched an investigation in coordination with international authorities.
"The international community should carry out its responsibilities to prevent any parties trying to harm maritime security and safety, which would be considered a threat to international safety and security," it said.
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