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Iran turned coast of prosperity into ‘platform for aggression’, says top UAE diplomat
His remarks came after a statement issued by UAE, affirming that the Emirates is home to a respected and valued Iranian community
- PUBLISHED: Fri 3 Apr 2026, 2:55 PM
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Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to UAE's President, said that Iran’s ruling regime has transformed the northern coast of the Arabian Gulf — historically a shared corridor of trade, coexistence and prosperity — into a platform for aggression against its neighbours.
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He drew a pointed contrast between Tehran’s conduct and the UAE’s enduring values of tolerance and the rule of law.
Writing on X, Dr Gargash noted that for generations, the northern Iranian coastline of the Arabian Gulf served as a space of connection and shared prosperity for the diverse peoples of the region, including Arabs, Persians, Lurs, and Baloch, whose livelihoods were intertwined with the flourishing of the Gulf Arab states.
“But the Iranian regime turned it into a platform for its aggression against its neighbours, after it was a bridge for rapprochement and development,” he said.
His remarks came after a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reaffirmed that the Emirates is home to a respected and valued Iranian community, which forms an integral part of its diverse social fabric.
The Ministry also pushed back against inaccurate media claims circulating about the residency status of Iranians in the UAE, stressing that its institutional approach is guided by well-established procedures that safeguard the safety and well-being of all members of society, without exception.
Dr. Gargash noted that the Mofa statement confirmed the UAE embraces its Iranian community in a model based on tolerance and the rule of law, before closing with a stark reflection: “Here the difference becomes clear — between a mind that builds life, and another that sees no path but destruction.”
The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities, and the Ministry reaffirmed the country’s commitment to fostering a safe and stable environment that ensures the protection of the rights of all residents, reflecting its enduring values of coexistence and openness.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.