The United Arab Emirates has issued a stark warning that Iran is attempting to trigger a global economic catastrophe by closing the Strait of Hormuz, the vital chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s minister of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered the blunt assessment during an interview on Fox News, stating plainly that what happens in the Gulf does not stay in the Gulf, as reported by Fox News transcripts. Nusseibeh emphasized that her nation never asked for this war, yet the UAE has continued to endure Iranian missile and drone attacks as part of Tehran’s regional retaliation campaign, with details on the attacks sourced from Nusseibeh’s statements in that interview.
The minister revealed that Iranian forces have fired over 2,200 missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates, with 89 percent of their targets being civilian infrastructure, according to Nusseibeh’s account. This is not the behavior of a nation interested in diplomacy or peace, but rather the actions of a regime lashing out at anyone who represents an alternative to its repressive ideology. The Emirati official explained that her country had tried the diplomatic channel for decades, including a trip to Tehran in early February for what were described as useful and constructive talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as noted in official UAE statements.
The United States’ concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and support for terrorist actors were well understood by Dubai, but Iran made what Nusseibeh called an irresponsible decision, based on her comments. Instead of negotiating, they chose to unleash a barrage of missiles and drones at civilian targets, per her Fox News remarks. The Strait of Hormuz closure has already disrupted the flow of gas and oil across the globe, and the UAE minister made clear that Iran’s attack on Gulf allies of the United States is an attack on the entire world, drawing from Nusseibeh’s interview.
When asked why Iran would target the UAE specifically, Nusseibeh’s answer was telling, as per the Fox News broadcast. The UAE represents an idea that threatens the Iranian regime’s very existence—they are open, progressive, tolerant, and economically vibrant, everything the Islamic Republic is not. The Abraham Accords, signed during President Trump’s first term, have made the UAE a particular target for Iranian ire, with historical context from official U.S. State Department records.
Now, as U.S. and Israeli forces continue Operation Epic Fury, the UAE finds itself on the front lines of a conflict it did not seek but will not shrink from, according to regional reports. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that talks with Iran continue, though the regime’s response to peace proposals has been characteristically chaotic, as stated in White House press briefings. Emirati Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba has cautioned that a simple ceasefire is not enough, with his comments referenced from diplomatic sources—the world is watching to see whether Iran will choose a path toward stability or continue down the road of economic terrorism that threatens not just the Middle East, but the entire global economy.
Providence watches over the bold.
About The Author
