United Arab Emirates

Return of TACO Trump? Gulf states fear Trump may end Iran war without meaningful changes

“No one knows how or when Trump will decide to end the war, and therefore all the Gulf states are worried,” one of the sources said.

US President Donald Trump visits a Ford production center in Dearborn, Michigan, US, January 13, 2026.
A satellite image of Jebel Ali Port, after one of the berths caught fire because of debris from an intercepted missile, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 1, 2026.

Kuwaiti oil tanker was hit in Iranian attack at Dubai port, alerts raised for possible oil spill

Map of Middle East

Middle East realignment: Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are reshaping US-Iran relations - opinion

THE BURJ KHALIFA, the tallest structure in the world at 830 meters, towers over the Dubai skyline.

How to get by in Dubai: What to do when your cruise is stranded by war


Ukraine closes in on Middle East deals to help counter Iranian drones

Kyiv is hoping to bolster support in its war against Russia, which is now in its fifth year, as the US-Israeli war with Iran raises uncertainty over whether Washington will restrict its military aid.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz during his visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 26, 2026.

Gulf states tell US ending the war is not enough, Iran’s capabilities must be degraded - analysis

The big question confronting Gulf policymakers is no longer how the Iran war ends, but what kind of regional order will follow its end.

 Smoke rises from a burning building hit by an Iranian drone strike, in Seef district, Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026

UAE ambassador to US warns against ending Iran war too soon

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, UAE ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, wrote that the current war requires a decisive outcome that addresses the full scope of the Islamic Republic’s threat.

United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba shares remarks at ADL Never is Now at Javits Center on March 03, 2025 in New York City.

UAE security under fire: Lessons from regional crises, Arab divisions - opinion

National security cannot be managed through political play-acting but rather through precise calculations of power.

A general view of buildings and and construction cranes, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 7, 2026.

Gulf airlines recovering slowely as Iran war drags on

The war on Iran has affected fares and demand, with Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Qatar Airways, and Air Arabia seeing flight numbers drop to near-zero after the war began on February 28.

Gulf airline recovery (March 23, 2026).

Planes are landing, taking off within five minutes of missile alerts in UAE, WSJ report reveals

The current conflict brings fears of a tragedy like the one that happened in 2020, where the Iranian regime accidentally shot down a passenger jet and killed the 176 people inside.

Planes are parked at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport, following the United States and Israel strikes on Iran, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 2, 2026.

Ukraine deploys 228 specialists to five Middle East countries to intercept drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said teams had been sent to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, states that have come under fire during the Iran war.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech during a joint press conference with France's President Emmanuel Macron, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, March 13, 2026.

Editor's Notes: What one Arab post reveals about how the Gulf now talks about Israel - comment

The Gulf is not growing warm toward Israel; it is becoming more specific in the way it discusses Israel. In this region, word choice is often the first sign that strategy is moving.

Iranian newspapers with cover photos related to the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) protests, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 14, 2026.

Forced off the fence: How neutrality towards Iran has failed Gulf states - editorial

The Gulf monarchies built modern states on a promise of order, growth, and security. Iran has attacked all three. They now face a test of seriousness.

A plume of black smoke rises from an ongoing fire near fuel depots at the port of Fujairah in the gulf emirate of Fujairah on March 4, 2026. Iran's strikes on Gulf neighbours since February 28, following the US-Israeli attack, forced the UAE to shut its airspace, blindsiding travellers.

Iran demands compensation from UAE over alleged role in US strikes

In the letter, Amir Saeid Iravani said the UAE’s decision to allow its territory to be used for the strikes constituted "an internationally wrongful act that entailed state responsibility."

Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani of Iran attends Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East as members vote on two draft resolutions regarding the current crisis in the Middle East on March 11, 2026.