The U.A.E. Stands Up to Iran
This war requires a conclusive outcome—one that addresses Tehran’s full range of threats.
By Yousef Al Otaiba
March 25, 2026
Forty miles away, the U.A.E. stands on the front line of this conflict. Iran has launched more than 2,180 missiles and drones at the Emirates, far more than at any other country.
The U.A.E. will endure. We will absorb this shock and accelerate economic diversification with new initiatives in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, life sciences and tourism. This includes the world’s largest data center complex, a new Guggenheim Museum and the Middle East’s first Disney theme park.
S&P Global Ratings reaffirmed the Emirates’ AA/A-1+ sovereign credit rating, citing our fiscal depth, diversified growth engines and proven ability to protect investments, even in crisis. Our airlines, Etihad and Emirates, are restoring schedules and resuming flights to the U.S.
This isn’t a war we wanted. Until hours before the first strike, Emirati officials undertook intensive diplomatic efforts from Tehran to Washington. We made clear to the Iranians that in the event of a war, U.A.E. territory and airspace wouldn’t be used for strikes on Iran. We knew we would be Iran’s first choice of targets. Not only because we are so near, but because we are so different. The U.A.E. is a modern, progressive, prosperous Muslim society that delivers for its people. We empower women and welcome all faiths. The U.A.E. is the argument Iran can’t win, the idea it can’t accept.
We are equally committed to our investment plans in the U.S. Our $1.4 trillion commitment is firm. The stronger our economic ties to America, the stronger both nations become—and the clearer our message to those who seek to destabilize the region.
Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been degraded. Its proxies have been weakened. More needs to be done to remove the missile and drone threats. And we are ready to join an international initiative to reopen the strait and keep it open.
We aren’t asking the U.S. to carry the full burden. We are defending our people, protecting regional stability and global prosperity, and demonstrating that real alliances are built on cooperation and contribution, not dependency.
We want Iran as a normal neighbor. It can be reclusive and even unwelcoming, but it can’t attack its neighbors, blockade international waters, or export extremism. Building a fence around the problem and wishing it goes away isn’t the answer. It would simply defer the next crisis.
Mr. Otaiba is the U.A.E. ambassador to the U.S.
