UAE-Iran meeting offers path forward despite differences, says Anwar Gargash

A meeting between the UAE and Iran in New Delhi has provided an important platform for the two countries to explore a path forward despite continuing differences, Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai.

Gargash was referring to the September 12 meeting between Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in the Indian capital.

The meeting did not mean that Abu Dhabi and Tehran had reached agreement on every issue. However, Gargash said it created an important channel through which the two sides could address tensions and consider the future of their relationship.

He also described Pezeshkian as a voice of reason at a critical time, saying the Iranian president’s positions and statements during the prolonged crisis had been “balanced and rational” and should not be overlooked at such a delicate stage.

UAE-Iran meeting offers path forward despite differences

The meeting reflected the UAE’s policy of combining deterrence with diplomacy, Gargash said. Geography makes engagement with Tehran necessary, but rebuilding trust will require actions rather than words.

Addressing the region’s changing geopolitical landscape, he said the immediate challenge was not only to manage the current crisis but also to establish a sustainable framework for future relations.

Dialogue and communication are essential to restoring normal economic and commercial activity, including trade, aviation and access to markets and ports. However, Gargash stressed that reopening channels and rebuilding trust were separate tasks.

“Relationship is one thing, and trust is another,” he said, adding that trust would have to be restored gradually after the severe pressure and attacks experienced across the region.

Iran urged to rethink its regional role

Gargash said Iran should reconsider the model through which it exercises regional influence. He argued that Tehran would gain more from focusing on economic development and cooperation than from strategic expansion, proxy groups and confrontation.

A more constructive approach, he said, could help Iran move beyond isolation and participate in what he described as a promising Arab regional system, while creating better prospects for its economy and people.

Gargash said Gulf states sought a stable region based on respect for sovereignty, non-interference and secure trade routes. Any durable settlement, he added, would require actions that build confidence rather than declarations alone.

Diplomacy backed by strength

The UAE’s policy, Gargash said, rests on maintaining open diplomatic channels while retaining the ability to defend the country. He described this as a balance between diplomatic flexibility and a firm commitment to deterrence and self-defence.

He also highlighted the leadership of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, saying the UAE’s approach combines political steadiness, realistic diplomacy and the capacity to safeguard the country’s interests.

Saudi security ‘a direct UAE interest’

Turning to Saudi Arabia, Gargash said the Kingdom’s security and stability were integral to the security of the wider Gulf.

“Saudi Arabia’s security is in our interest, and anything that affects Saudi Arabia affects us directly,” he said.

He added that security across the Gulf was interconnected and that a threat to one state could not be viewed in isolation from the interests of its neighbours.

On regional conflicts, including Yemen, Gargash rejected the use of armed groups operating outside state institutions. Weapons deployed by non-state actors, he said, threatened not only the countries in which they operated but also neighbouring states.

The UAE’s preferred approach, he added, was to strengthen national institutions, support trade and development, and prevent outside powers from dominating countries through armed proxies.