Full Breakdown
UAE Diplomatic Adviser Says Rebuilding Trust with Iran Will Take Years
By Drooid · · How we work
Assessment of the Trust Gap
Dr Anwar Gargash, the United Arab Emirates’ presidential diplomatic adviser, told the Arab Media Summit in Dubai that while diplomatic relations with Tehran must continue, confidence between the two neighbours “will take years to rebuild.”
Regional Context and Recent Tensions
Gargash linked the trust deficit to recent attacks on Gulf states, including drone and rocket fire that reached Saudi Arabia’s city of Jeddah and the holy site of Mecca. He condemned targeting Mecca as “completely denounced and rejected.” The adviser also highlighted the destabilising role of proxy militias such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, noting that the Houthis’ attempt to control the Bab el-Mandeb strait “is a concern for everyone.”
Official Statements & Responses
- No new financial or political measures against Iran have been taken.
- Gargash described Iran’s decision-making as “made of different circles” and no longer centralized under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Gargash, set a balance of “flexibility and strength” at the war’s outset, reinforcing the message that “the UAE is a nice country, but we are not an easy target.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “The UAE is a nice country, but we are not an easy target,” — Gargash, president's diplomatic adviser
Outlook and Next Steps
He framed the security of Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf as interconnected with the UAE’s own stability, and he reiterated that the straits remain “international” under global economic definitions. The adviser’s remarks suggest a cautious, long-term approach to normalising trust while maintaining defensive readiness.
