United Arab Emirates, together with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, urge Trump not to start a war

The United Arab Emirates is now leading a more coordinated diplomatic effort to end the war with Iran. Together with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the UAE has urged United States President Donald Trump to allow space for diplomatic negotiations to avert economic devastation in the Gulf region. This move marks a significant shift for Abu Dhabi, previously known for a hawkish stance toward Tehran. The principal concern of Gulf states allied with the US is the potential Iranian retaliation that could plunge Gulf economies into turmoil if hostilities resume. In separate telephone calls with Trump, the leaders of the three US allies emphasised that military action would not deliver the long-term American objectives against Iran. They warned that armed confrontation would only worsen global energy security. These fears are underpinned by the bitter experiences from late February to the early April ceasefire, when Iranian retaliation and militias backed by Tehran caused damage to energy infrastructure worth billions of dollars and claimed many lives across the Gulf region. Iran and the US are currently exchanging messages through Pakistani mediation to reach a lasting peace agreement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated there had been little progress in the negotiations. Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir is also scheduled to visit Iran as part of the mediation effort. Despite positive signals, tensions remain high. Anwar Gargash, senior adviser to the UAE President, stated that the chances of reaching a deal hovered at 50-50. “My concern is that Iran tends to over-negotiate. I hope they do not do so this time because this region requires a political solution,” he said. President Donald Trump now faces a tough position. On one hand, he is determined to undermine Iran’s ballistic missile programme, but on the other, the conflict has cost the United States tens of billions of dollars. The surge in energy prices resulting from the closure of the Hormuz Strait has also made the conflict less popular with the American public. Meanwhile, Israel continues to view Iran as an existential threat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that further strikes may be necessary to permanently disable Iran’s military capabilities. This has stoked concerns among Gulf leaders that Israel could persuade Trump to resume military action. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pressuring the US to prioritise permanent reopening of the Hormuz Strait and to sustain diplomatic pressure rather than pursuing further physical confrontation that could jeopardise the region’s fragile post-war stability. (Bloomberg/I-2) A US Congressional report revealed substantial losses from Operation Epic Fury, including the destruction of F-35 and F-15 aircraft, with replacement costs estimated at US$7 billion. Diplomatic efforts are intensifying to break the US-Iran impasse, with Pakistan playing a mediator role amid Donald Trump’s belligerent posturing. Admiral Brad Cooper (CENTCOM) has called for extra bunker‑buster munitions to confront the growing threat from underground Iranian facilities. General Ahmad Vahidi has emerged as a central figure in Iran–US negotiations and Hormuz Strait strategy amid leadership uncertainties in Tehran. US intelligence assessments indicate Iran is accelerating drone and missile production during the ceasefire, fuelling concerns of a new regional threat. The United Arab Emirates and Israel have formed a joint fund for weapons development and anti-drone systems amid rising tensions from the Iran conflict. The Iran dispute has escalated Gulf tensions, placing Saudi Arabia at odds with a growing Israel–UAE axis. Read our latest geopolitical analysis. Trump administration officials are pressing the UAE to seize Iran’s Lavan Island to bolster strategic positions in the Gulf amid ongoing hostilities. ADNOC is expediting the West-East pipeline to the Port of Fujairah to secure UAE oil exports in the face of the Hormuz Strait blockade by Iran. The United Arab Emirates has rejected Israel’s claims of a secret Netanyahu visit during the Iran–Israel war as unfounded.