Why is Iran increasingly targeting the UAE in its war messaging?
Key takeaways
- The UAE’s close ties to the US and Israel have placed the Gulf country under Iranian suspicion.
- The port was struck earlier this month, but Iran denied responsibility.
- The UAE, for its part, has repeatedly condemned Iranian attacks and said it reserves the right to respond, including through military means.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The UAE’s close ties to the US and Israel have placed the Gulf country under Iranian suspicion.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo An Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire at Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 16, 2026 [File: AFP]By Maziar Motamedi Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have increasingly singled out the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their war messaging, and have warned of stronger strikes against the country if the United States and Israel resume their attacks.
“Our label of ‘neighbours’ with the Emirates has for now been lifted, and the label of ‘hostile base’ has been set for the country,” Ali Khezrian, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, told state television earlier this week.