UAE says rebuilding trust with Iran will take ‘ages’

24.04.2026

Rebuilding trust between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will take « ages and ages », UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash said Friday, after Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates during the Middle East conflict.

« You can’t be attacked with 2,800 missiles and drones and then talk to me about trust. That will take ages and ages, » Gargash said at a World Policy Conference in the town of Chantilly north of Paris.

The top official said that 89 percent of the Iranian attacks targeted « civilians, civilian infrastructure, energy infrastructure ».

« Tehran was telling the Arab Gulf countries that ‘you don’t matter in my calculations,’ and I think this is going to last for a very long time, » he said.

« To the region — to the United Arab Emirates and other countries, Iran will be seen as a strategic threat, » Gargash said.

Israeli-US strikes on Iran in late February sparked regionwide conflict, with Tehran targeting US allies in the Gulf.

A ceasefire was agreed at the start of the month, but peace talks in Pakistan have stalled in recent days.

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