The international community must do more to ensure maritime security in the world's busiest transit lane for seaborne oil shipments, according to the U.S. special representative to Iran. Six oil tankers and a U.S. spy drone have been attacked since May either in, or near, the Strait of Hormuz. The flurry of attacks has escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran. "Iran has been engaging in these attacks that affect many countries around the world. This is not limited to the United States, Saudi and the UAE. I think what is required is an international response," U.S. envoy to Iran Brian Hook told CNBC's Hadley Gamble in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

"So much of the oil that goes through the Strait of Hormuz finds its way to Asia and so it is not just the region that is a stakeholder," Hook said. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel situated between the borders of Iran and Oman, accounts for approximately 30% of the world's seaborne oil traffic. It is seen as one of the most important waterways in the world, linking crude producers in the Middle East with key markets in the rest of the world.

'Burden sharing' with China

On being asked whether the United States will be open to countries like China participating in the Persian Gulf, Hook said it is for the president and secretary of state to make. "We will get into that discussion. The G20 is coming up so that's a good forum for leaders to talk about maritime security and freedom of navigation. That's a very important principle that countries need to support, not only in words but also in deed," Hook said. Attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week and on four tankers off the United Arab Emirates in mid-May, both near the Strait of Hormuz, has ratcheted up concern about the prospect of a military confrontation. Washington blames Iran for the attacks and almost launched a retaliatory strike on Thursday. Iran has denied it had been behind the naval attacks but said it downed the unmanned American drone after it had violated Iranian airspace.