The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Tuesday it quit Opec and Opec+, dealing a heavy blow to the oil exporting groups and their de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the war in Iran has caused a historic energy shock and unsettled the global economy.

The stunning loss of the UAE, a longstanding Opec member, could create disarray and weaken the group, which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters the decision was taken after a careful look at the regional power’s energy strategies.

Asked whether the UAE consulted with Saudi Arabia, he said the UAE did not raise the issue with any other country.

Opec Gulf producers have already been struggling to ship exports through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, because of Iranian threats and attacks against vessels.

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