UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar Privately Urge Trump to Step Back from Attacking Iran
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have each called Trump urging him to pursue diplomacy over military action, fearing Iranian retaliation could devastate Gulf economies.
The United Arab Emirates has intensified its push for a diplomatic resolution to the Iran war, joining Saudi Arabia and Qatar in urging President Donald Trump to give negotiations a chance rather than resume military strikes, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing multiple people familiar with the matter.
In separate calls with Trump, the leaders of all three US allies made the case that military action will not achieve America's long-standing goals with Iran, and that any retaliation from Tehran if hostilities resume would plunge Gulf economies into chaos.
Where each Gulf state stands
Saudi Arabia supports Pakistan-led mediation and believes curbing Iran's nuclear and ballistic-missile programs can only be resolved through negotiations. Riyadh, along with Abu Dhabi, believes Washington should focus on pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while maintaining its naval blockade as leverage.
UAE- the most notable shift. Abu Dhabi bore the brunt of Iran's attacks during the war and had previously been the most hawkish of the Gulf states toward Tehran. The UAE's foreign ministry stated that any deal must address Iran's "full range of threats."
🇶🇦 Qatar — has consistently backed the Pakistan-led mediation process and advocated for de-escalation for the sake of the region and its people.
Iran and the US agreed to a truce on April 8 and are currently exchanging messages through Pakistan regarding a possible peace deal. Both sides have said they are prepared to resume hostilities and have shown little sign of compromise. Even so, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there had been "slight progress" in negotiations, while Iranian media also reported signs of movement. Pakistan's army chief was scheduled to visit Iran the same day.
Background: a fractured Gulf
The UAE was frustrated when Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states refused to respond collectively with force against Iran earlier in the war. Abu Dhabi carried out limited strikes on Iran in coordination with the US and Israel, while Saudi Arabia took similar action separately. That anger culminated in the UAE's shock decision in late April to leave OPEC, the oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia. The three states are now presenting a unified diplomatic front.