A senior advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates said Sunday that his country does not want to see renewed warfare with Iran, but made clear the Emirates are preparing for a security escalation.
Anwar Gargash, advisor to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, spoke as reports continue of diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran and of American preparations for a large-scale strike on Iran.
"We do not want to see another round of fighting in the Gulf region, and we prefer to see a diplomatic and political agreement," he said at a conference in Bahrain. "But we are also prepared for the worst-case scenario, and we are ready to do whatever is required to defend our country, our citizens and our achievements."
He said the main demand of the Persian Gulf states, with the UAE at the forefront, is to restore the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to what it was before the war with Iran began. "This route is critically important for trade and energy supply," he explained. "The Gulf states cannot bear this burden, just because of a crisis we did not create."
