UAE Adviser Says Military Fixes Will Not End Iran Crisis

The United Arab Emirates stated on Sunday that military solutions will not provide a quick exit from the ongoing crisis with Iran. Anwar Gargash, the UAE presidential adviser, made the remark at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. He argued that political tools must remain the primary method for resolving the conflict.

Gargash described the year as a watershed moment for the region. The conflict began on Feb. 28 with joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel. Iran subsequently attacked Gulf nations. Gargash said the UAE hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough to prevent another round of confrontation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported that negotiators are currently in Qatar. They are reviewing a proposal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi clarified that no direct talks are occurring between Iran and the United States. He said the final outcome depends on Washington's answers to specific Iranian questions. In a Telegram interview, Araghchi stated that Iran hopes the U.S. chooses diplomacy over other paths.

The shadow of potential escalation loomed over the three-day security forum. The event is organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. It gathers regional and international state, defense, and foreign affairs officials. Gargash noted that the current stances of the U.S. and Iran are far apart. He warned that if these positions are not bridged, the region must worry about the worst.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty agreed with this assessment. Speaking a day earlier, he called a second round of escalation more dangerous and destructive. He said it would lead nowhere. However, Gargash added that the UAE and the region are braced for the possibility of further escalation.

The war has solidified U.S.-UAE relations, according to Gargash. He said the relationship is now more important and central to the UAE's ability to defend itself. Before a ceasefire was reached in April, the UAE faced more than 3,000 drone and ballistic missile attacks. These targeted airports, military installations, and oil facilities. Most were intercepted, according to the IISS.

Gulf nations have spent billions of dollars to boost defense capabilities since the conflict began. Bahraini Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said his country welcomes every effort to reduce tensions. He described Iran's actions as a pattern of attacks threatening regional stability. These include targeting sea, air, and data facilities even after the ceasefire.

Al Zayani pointed to recent threats to underwater data cables and attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia. He stated that while the hands may change, the approach does not. At the height of the war, Iran fired 500 drones and nearly 200 ballistic missiles toward Bahrain. The strikes hit the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet base, residential buildings, the financial district, and a water desalination plant.

Houthi rebels have escalated attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and airports this summer. They cited Saudi airstrikes on Sanaa airport as the cause. The attacks have hit critical oil pipelines and disrupted air traffic in the kingdom. A lack of coordinated defense response among the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council also prevailed over the forum.

During the war, Gulf countries that bore the brunt of strikes worked at the national level with U.S. command centers. The IISS noted this sometimes hindered the overall defensive effort. Gargash offered a candid criticism of this approach. He said the Gulf states have not collectively risen to the challenge, though each state has done so independently or through bilateral cooperation.