The story: The commander of the Iranian Navy says the Islamic Republic is forming a new maritime alliance with Gulf Arab and South Asian states to bolster regional security. The assertion comes just days after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced its exit from a US-led maritime coalition in the Gulf—although Washington reportedly says it has not received any formal Emirati notification.

The US has dismissed the Iranian assertion, charging that the Islamic Republic itself is the main "cause of regional instability." Meanwhile, Gulf officials are said to privately reject the existence of any agreement with Iran on a new maritime alliance.

The coverage: Rear Admiral Shahram Irani on June 3 stated that Bahrain, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE will form a...