The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stepped up diplomatic efforts in recent days to help end the conflict with Iran, joining Saudi Arabia and Qatar in urging US President Donald Trump to give negotiations a chance, according to people familiar with the matter.
The coordinated outreach reflects growing concern among Gulf states that any renewed escalation with Tehran could once again destabilize the region’s fragile security balance and trigger severe economic disruption across energy markets.
Sources said the discussions were driven by fears that retaliation from Iran, in the event of resumed hostilities, could plunge Gulf economies into chaos and threaten critical infrastructure across the region.
In separate calls with Trump, leaders from the three US allies argued that military action would not achieve Washington’s long-term strategic objectives regarding Iran, according to the same sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The renewed diplomatic activity marks a notable shift for Abu Dhabi, which has historically taken a harder line toward Tehran compared to some of its Gulf neighbors, particularly after bearing the impact of Iranian-linked attacks in previous years.
While the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar broadly share concerns about escalation, they differ on the form any potential diplomatic agreement should take and how forcefully the United States should engage Iran, the sources said. However, their parallel outreach to Trump underscores a shared urgency to prevent a repeat of past regional confrontations.
The current push follows months of heightened tensions after military exchanges between Israel, the United States and Iran earlier in the year, which eventually led to a fragile ceasefire in April. Gulf officials remain wary that the truce could collapse without a durable political settlement.
During the earlier conflict period, Iran and allied militias in Iraq launched thousands of drones and missiles across the Gulf region, killing dozens and causing billions of dollars in damage to ports, oil facilities and energy infrastructure.
“Arab Gulf states saw their worst fears materialize. They were caught in the middle of a US-Iran war and suffered significant spillover effects,” said Dina Esfandiary, an analyst at Bloomberg Economics. “They now face the prospect of renewed confrontation if the ceasefire does not evolve into a permanent agreement, with their image as a stable regional hub at risk.”
According to sources, the UAE had previously expressed frustration that other Gulf countries were reluctant to coordinate a collective military response to Iranian actions, despite repeated security incidents in the region.
Abu Dhabi reportedly participated in limited defensive operations against Iran alongside the United States and Israel, while Saudi Arabia undertook separate measures independently, reflecting a fragmented regional security approach.
Iran and the United States agreed to a ceasefire on April 8, exchanging messages via Pakistan in parallel efforts to explore a broader peace framework. However, both sides have continued to signal readiness for renewed confrontation, with little evidence of major concessions.
Despite the fragile nature of talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that there had been “modest progress” in negotiations, a sentiment echoed cautiously by Iranian media reports. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir was also scheduled to visit Iran the same day, a move seen by observers as part of broader regional diplomacy efforts.
The UAE’s frustration with regional divisions was highlighted by its unexpected decision in late April to exit OPEC, the oil producers’ group led by Saudi Arabia, according to earlier reporting. While that move shocked regional partners, relations within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have since stabilized.
The GCC includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, and remains the primary framework for regional coordination on economic and security issues.
In a statement to Bloomberg, the UAE foreign ministry said it continues to maintain close coordination and consultations with GCC members and international partners.
“UAE continues to coordinate and consult closely with Gulf Cooperation Council member states, along with regional and international partners,” the ministry said on Thursday.
On the same day, all GCC members except Oman reportedly sent a letter to global maritime authorities rejecting Iran’s efforts to impose permanent control over shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Tehran had effectively disrupted navigation in the strait earlier in the conflict, halting large volumes of oil and gas exports from Gulf producers.
Although Iran’s military capabilities have been weakened during the conflict, regional officials and analysts caution that Tehran and its allied groups retain significant operational capacity.
Security risks to Gulf states were further underscored by a drone attack on a UAE nuclear power facility last week, which Abu Dhabi attributed to Iran-backed militias in Iraq.
A day later, Trump said he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, adding that they had discouraged him from launching further military action against Iran.
However, Gulf leaders remain uncertain whether their diplomatic efforts will be sufficient to influence Washington’s policy direction, with some officials reportedly concerned that Israel could still push the United States toward renewed military escalation.
Israel, which has deepened security cooperation with the UAE since the onset of regional conflict, continues to view Iran as an existential threat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously signaled support for further strikes to weaken Iran’s military capabilities.
“There is a 50-50 chance that we will reach an agreement with Iran,” said Anwar Gargash, senior diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, on Friday.
“My concern is that Iran tends to over-negotiate. I hope that does not happen this time because the region urgently needs a political solution. A second round of military confrontation would only complicate the situation further.”
