The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seeking to ease tensions with Iran while strengthening its military and security cooperation with the United States and Israel, a balancing act aimed at protecting its economy and security interests amid heightened regional tensions.
The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that UAE President Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan has tasked three of his brothers with managing contacts with Tehran in an effort to reduce tensions: Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Recent phone calls between Mansour bin Zayed and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and between Abdullah bin Zayed and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, are among the signs of the diplomatic effort, according to the Financial Times.
The UAE began pursuing the policy after a fragile cease-fire between Iran and the United States and stepped up those efforts following a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington on June 12.
The renewed tensions in recent weeks have put the strategy to the test.
In the latest escalation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks against several Gulf states, including Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, while the UAE has sought to avoid a direct military confrontation with Tehran.
That marks a notable shift from the earlier phase of the conflict, when the UAE was among the hardest-hit targets of Iranian missile and drone attacks, with the UAE's Foreign Ministry reporting nearly 3,000 strikes.
A cyclist watches as a projectile falls over Dubai on February 28.
Iranian Community Takes A Hit
The UAE has also taken steps affecting its large Iranian community. During the conflict, it suspended the residency permits of about 20,000 Iranian residents who were outside the country.
There have since been reports that some residency permits are being reactivated.
Two Iranians living in the UAE told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that the residency permits of some of their relatives had been restored, although hundreds of others were still waiting for their permits to be reinstated.
Radio Farda also contacted travel agencies familiar with the matter and found that tourist visas for Iranians were still not being issued.
An Iranian community activist in the UAE said no new residency applications for Iranians were currently being processed, while visas for people whose existing residency permits are expiring were being renewed.
The UAE's efforts to maintain ties with Iran are also driven by economic considerations, particularly in Dubai, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Iranians.
A smoke plume rise from an ongoing fire at Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 16, 2026.
Economic Interests
In its report, The Financial Times quoted a Dubai official as saying Iran's large population and consumer market make the country important to Dubai as a trade and re-export hub.
The official said Iran's large population and consumer market offer significant benefits to Dubai as a trading and re-export center, and that maintaining those economic ties was important to restoring normal relations.
An Emirati businessman told the newspaper that doing without trade with Iran was possible but difficult.
The businessman said that while he could replace many items, some inexpensive goods, such as tomatoes, were difficult to replace.
The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel also contributed to inflation in the UAE, although the government has taken measures to contain price increases.
An Iranian businessman who runs a shop selling Iranian products in Dubai told Radio Farda that Iranian goods were still entering the UAE, but the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz had pushed prices higher.
"For example, caviar comes through Oman, while some goods reach the UAE through the port of Fujairah, which is outside the Strait of Hormuz. And with the resumption of flights between Iran and the UAE, many goods reach us by air, carried by passengers."
The businessman said he had even developed a relationship with a co-pilot who helped him purchase some products from Iran.
The UAE said it was targeted by about 3,000 Iranian missile and drone attacks during the first phase of the conflict, adding that most were successfully intercepted.
The attacks prompted Abu Dhabi to take a more confrontational stance toward Tehran, and there were reports that the UAE had participated in some attacks on Iran.
The Financial Times described the UAE's approach as a bold gamble: cautiously reactivating diplomatic and economic channels with Iran while simultaneously deepening its military relationship with Israel and the United States.
For Abu Dhabi, the strategy reflects the challenge of balancing its dependence on Western security partnerships with the economic and strategic importance of maintaining workable relations with its powerful neighbor across the Gulf.