UAE says its energy exports will not be 'held hostage' by Iran war

The UAE has been expanding port capacity along its eastern ⁠coast, as well as developingpipelines, railways and trade routes foralternative corridors, he said. While acknowledging that relations with Iran ​could eventually recover, Gargash warned that rebuilding trust after the attacks could take decades.

The United Arab Emirates says it will have to find a way to restore relations with Iran but that rebuilding broken trust will be far harder, presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said, warning that "geography leaves us no alternative to engagement. " Speaking at a forum in Abu Dhabi…pic.twitter.com/jNPpAOK9tv— Iran International English (@Iran.

Intl_En)September 7, 2026He also criticised Gulf Arab states ​for failing to mount a coordinated response to Iran, saying they had been unable to translate shared concerns into a unified strategy. Read:Saudi Aramco's Jazan oil facilities attacked: FTUS alliance not enough.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson echoed similar concerns at the policymakers' forum, saying Gulf Arab countries should not rely solely on ​their strategic partnership with the US for security. "We need to realise in the Gulf that having international forces ​in the region, having a strategic alliance with the US, is very important but is not enough," Majed al-Ansari said.

"Self-sufficiency when it ‌comes ⁠to security is the only way forward. "Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari says the Iran war shows Gulf states cannot rely solely on the United States for security, calling for greater regional self-sufficiency while maintaining international alliances.pic.twitter.com/KfP5z1rKFy— Al Arabiya English (@Al.

Arabiya_Eng)September 7, 2026Gargash argued that while the partnership with the US is essential, the six-month conflict has exposed the importance of national capabilities. "Our security is our priority. When we depend entirely on others, we cannot always assume it will be their priority," he said.

Hormuz remains a sticking point. Iran followed through on its ​threat to close the Strait ​of Hormuz, once a ⁠conduit for a fifth of global energy supplies. The disruption sent energy prices soaring and sparked a global economic crisis.

The waterway's status remains a central obstacle in negotiations between ​Washington and Tehran, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, with Iran claiming the strait ​belongs to Iran ⁠and Oman — a position Gulf states broadly reject.

Read More:Iran war threatens a prolonged hit to global energy markets"Freedom of navigation is not a concession to be granted, nor a principle to be renegotiated under pressure," Gargash said, adding that any long-term resolution must include credible guarantees against further Iranian attacks ⁠on Gulf ​Arab states.

The conflict, sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran ​on February 28, remains deadlocked. A preliminary ceasefire reached in June has unravelled, and little progress has been made in efforts to revive the ​peace process.