Iranian attacks on UAE widely denounced in region and the world

Iranian attacks on UAE widely denounced in region and the world Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy issued a map encompassing the UAE ports of Fujairah and Khorfakkan as well as the coast of the Umm Al Quwain emirate. Tuesday 05/05/2026 President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visits the Ministry of Defence, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. ABU DHABI The United Arab Emirates said its air defences engaged twelve ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones, launched from Iran on Monday evening as firefighters battled a blaze at a major oil industry zone following a drone attack. The Gulf Arab state’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the attacks marked a serious escalation and posed a direct threat to the country’s security, adding that the UAE reserved its “full and legitimate right” to respond. “The UAE further stressed the need for Iran to halt these unprovoked attacks, ensure its full commitment to an immediate cessation of all hostilities, and the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” the foreign ministry said. The drone attacks shattered a period of relative calm in the region since a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8, pausing more than a month of intense fighting in the Gulf region. Civil defence teams were deployed immediately to contain the blaze at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, the Fujairah Media Office said in a statement, adding that three Indian citizens were moderately injured in the attack and taken to hospital. Multiple flights bound for the UAE diverted to Muscat in Oman, while other inbound aircraft circled over Saudi Arabia, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24, as the attacks caused widespread disruption to air traffic. In another provocative move, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy issued a map it said showed an expansion of areas under Iranian control near the Strait of Hormuz, encompassing the UAE ports of Fujairah and Khorfakkan as well as the coast of the Umm Al Quwain emirate, Iranian news agencies reported. During the period of intense conflict earlier this spring, the UAE said it had intercepted and destroyed thousands of Iranian drones and missiles, much more than targeted Israel. Monday’s strike was not the first time Fujairah’s energy infrastructure had been targeted. A drone attack on March 14 had previously hit the Port of Fujairah, triggering fires and the suspension of some oil-loading operations. Fujairah has been critical to UAE oil exports during the Iran war as it sits at the end of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which carries crude from inland fields to the Gulf of Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. This has allowed the UAE to continue shipping oil to global markets even as the waterway remained under threat. The United Arab Emirates on Monday also accused Iran of attacking an empty crude oil tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi state oil firm ADNOC with drones as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian attacks prompted a wave of denunciations from the region and the rest of the world. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed his country’s support for the UAE in a phone call with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. During the call, said Saudi news agency SPA, the crown prince “expressed the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the unjustified Iranian attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates. He reaffirmed the kingdom’s support for the UAE in its defense of its security and stability”. SPA added, “the two leaders also reviewed the latest regional developments and discussed efforts to enhance security and stability throughout the region”. Qatar described the Iranian actions a “flagrant violation of sovereignty and a serious threat to the security and stability of the region”, while Bahrain described them as “terrorist attacks”. Jordan slammed Iranian strikes as a “dangerous escalation” and expressed support for all measures taken by the UAE to protect its sovereignty and security. French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the missile and drone strikes as “unjustified and unacceptable”. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that his country “stands in solidarity” with President Sheikh Mohamed and the people of the UAE. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday condemned the Iranian drone and missile strikes targeting the United Arab Emirates. “We stand in solidarity with the UAE and will continue to support the defence of our partners in the Gulf. This escalation must cease,” Starmer said. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, wrote on X: “These attacks are unacceptable and constitute a clear violation of sovereignty and international law,” she wrote on X. “Security in the region has direct consequences for Europe.”
2026-05-05 08:17:28