Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Feb 3: The United Arab Emirates has cautioned against any fresh confrontation between the United States and Iran, stressing that the Middle East cannot afford another conflict and calling on Tehran to reach a nuclear agreement with Washington.
Speaking at a panel discussion during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, said the region has already endured multiple devastating confrontations and needs stability through dialogue. He underlined the importance of direct negotiations between Iran and the US to prevent recurring tensions.
“I don’t think we need another confrontation. What we need is direct Iranian-American negotiations that lead to understandings, so these issues do not arise every other day,” Gargash said, adding that a broader political and geostrategic deal would benefit the entire region and help Iran rebuild its economy.
His remarks came as Iranian and US officials confirmed that nuclear talks would resume on Friday in Turkey. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi are scheduled to meet in Istanbul in an effort to revive stalled diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear programme. A regional diplomat said representatives from countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also expected to participate.
US President Donald Trump has warned of serious consequences if a deal is not reached, noting that US warships are being deployed closer to Iran. The naval buildup follows a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran last month, described as the deadliest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While Trump had earlier refrained from intervening during the crackdown, he has since demanded nuclear concessions from Tehran. He recently said Iran was “seriously talking”, while Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani indicated that preparations for negotiations were underway.
The UAE, a major trade and business hub in the Gulf, has also been under scrutiny amid rising regional tensions. Relations with Saudi Arabia have been strained since December over developments in Yemen, including the withdrawal of Emirati forces following a Saudi airstrike. The move failed to ease differences between the two Gulf powers.
Abu Dhabi has also faced criticism on social media over its alleged support for separatist groups in Yemen and claims of backing a paramilitary force accused of atrocities in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. Gargash dismissed the online backlash, saying it should be separated from reality and describing it as shifting waves of coordinated criticism.