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UAE diplomat questions Arab League and OIC silence amid regional tensions
Dr. Anwar Gargash highlights the historical support provided by Gulf states, asking where their allies are in times of hardship
- PUBLISHED: Mon 23 Mar 2026, 2:23 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A top UAE diplomat has strongly questioned the absence of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, in responding to the ongoing Iranian aggression against Gulf states.
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Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, took to social media platform X to express his frustration over the lack of regional and international support during the current crisis.
“We in the Arab Gulf states have the right to ask: Where are the institutions of joint Arab and Islamic action, led by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, while our countries and peoples are subjected to this brutal Iranian aggression?” Dr. Gargash wrote. “And where are the ‘major’ Arab and regional countries?”
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He further criticised the current state of regional solidarity. “In this absence and helplessness, it is no longer permissible to talk later about the decline of the Arab and Islamic role or to criticise the American and Western presence,” he added.
Highlighting the historical role of the Gulf states in supporting the broader Arab world, Dr. Gargash delivered a poignant reminder. “The Arab Gulf states have been a support and a partner to everyone in times of prosperity… so where are you today in times of hardship?”
Dr. Gargash’s latest remarks build upon his consistent messaging since the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran war, which has seen the UAE and other Gulf nations targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes.
Earlier this month, he condemned the Iranian strategy of targeting Gulf states instead of confronting US and Israeli strikes directly, describing it as a reflection of “military impotence, moral bankruptcy, and political isolation”.
He has also been vocal against any rhetoric attempting to justify the attacks. Last week, he slammed statements by Iranian officials threatening Arab Gulf states as “absurd and irresponsible,” warning that such escalatory language violates international law and undermines regional stability.
“These statements constitute a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, particularly the prohibition of the threat or use of force and represent an irresponsible escalation that amounts to international crimes, placing the region before grave risks,” he stated.
Gulf resilience
The UAE and its Gulf neighbours have demonstrated significant resilience. The UAE’s multi-layered air defence systems have successfully intercepted the vast majority of incoming threats, allowing daily life, commerce, and tourism to continue with minimal disruption.
Dr. Gargash previously revealed that the UAE had been aware for months that the region was heading toward a crisis and had actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to prevent the escalation, even delivering messages between Washington and Tehran to open negotiating channels.
“The UAE did not seek this war. We sought peace. That remains our position,” he noted in a recent interview. “But the rules have changed, and any solution must remove the cloud of instability that has hung over this region for more than twenty years”.
While questioning the Arab League’s current stance, Dr. Gargash has consistently praised the unprecedented wave of international solidarity from global partners, noting that the UAE has received numerous calls from world leaders condemning the Iranian aggression.
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.