UAE Prepared for Conflict Amidst Push for Diplomatic Resolution, Says Dr. Gargash

Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, stated on Sunday that the UAE desires to avoid a new military confrontation in the region but is prepared for the worst while pursuing a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis. Speaking at the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Dr. Gargash expressed hope that mediation efforts by the UAE and other Gulf countries would yield a breakthrough, emphasizing that further escalation would not benefit regional interests or Iran.

“We don’t really want to see another round of confrontation in the region. We want to see a diplomatic and political resolution,” he stated. However, he also affirmed the UAE's readiness to safeguard its security, development, and population should hostilities recommence. “We are also, as we have shown before, braced for the worst, and to protect our achievements, our development model, our country, our citizens, and the people who are resident here,” he added.

The region has experienced increasing apprehension regarding the potential resumption of military confrontation between the US and Iran. The regional war, which commenced in February with US and Israeli air strikes against Iran, has not yet achieved a lasting settlement. Iran has retaliated by targeting all six Gulf states and Jordan in response to US and Israeli attacks. An interim agreement in June failed to secure a lasting ceasefire or normalize shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has since proposed that Washington lift its blockade of Iranian ports in exchange for Tehran reopening the waterway within seven days.

Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday in a renewed attempt to broker a deal, but disagreements persist over whether nuclear negotiations or the lifting of the blockade and oil sanctions should take precedence. Dr. Gargash underscored that restoring the pre-war status of the Strait of Hormuz is a non-negotiable priority for Gulf countries, given its critical importance to global energy supplies and trade. “The flow of energy, the flow of trade … this is something that cannot be a cost that we will all bear because of a crisis that we did not create,” he asserted.

The sea lane has been effectively closed by Iran since March, and a US counter-blockade has significantly impacted Iranian oil exports. When questioned about ongoing talks with Iran, Dr. Gargash confirmed, “Of course, we are talking to Iran. All Gulf countries are talking to Iran through different channels.”

Dr. Gargash observed that while individual Gulf nations have demonstrated their capacity for self-defense, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) has not collectively risen to the challenge. “Nationally, we have. Each state independently has, or sometimes in terms of bilateral co-operation. But we collectively have not risen to the challenge,” he remarked. He cautioned that mere declarations of Gulf solidarity are insufficient, advocating for renewed efforts to restore confidence in the bloc's ability to address significant security threats. “We really have to start what I would call rebuilding Gulf confidence,” he said, noting that the crisis has exposed vulnerabilities in the region's collective security arrangements. Confidence in the GCC's capacity to confront such a large-scale crisis has been diminished and, in some instances, proven “hollow,” he stated.

Dr. Gargash highlighted that the crisis has reinforced the significance of the UAE's strategic alliance with the US, describing it as fundamental to the country's security considerations. This partnership is particularly crucial for bolstering the UAE's ability to defend its sovereignty, complementing its own military capabilities and political resolve.

Speaking on the same panel, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani proposed that the path forward necessitates a regional framework grounded in shared interests and responsibilities. This framework, he suggested, should deter threats while remaining accessible to neighboring countries committed to respecting its principles. “It must be strong enough to discourage anyone from testing it. It should also be open to every neighbour willing to respect sovereignty, avoid interference in other states' affairs, protect freedom navigation and reject the threat or use of force. “That door remains open to Iran, as it does to every other neighbour. But it is a door that leads to shared rules, not special exceptions, and to actions, not intentions,” he concluded.