UAE won’t be ‘held hostage’ by Iran conflict, Gargash says

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said the Gulf state is building alternative trade and energy routes to keep its economy moving during the U.S. war with Iran.

“Our energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity,” Gargash said at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Iran has fired missiles at the UAE and attacked its oil tankers during the six-month conflict. The UAE is expanding ports on its eastern coast while developing pipelines, railways and other corridors that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

“Our security is our first priority,” Gargash said. “When we depend entirely on others, we cannot always assume it will be their priority.” 

The forum was co-hosted by the government-run Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, which was named for Gargash in 2021, and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.