Iran Claims UAE Transferred Four Detainees to Israel

Iranian media outlets are reporting that the United Arab Emirates has transferred four Iranian citizens, who were being held in detention there, to Israel. The report, first published by the Iranian website Tabnak and widely cited by other Iranian media such as Asr Iran and Didban Iran, stated the transfer occurred via Abu Dhabi. The website cited a source familiar with the details who claimed the four were held by Emirati authorities and subsequently "selected and transferred to the Zionist regime." This source also suggested the Emiratis are committing "serious treason against Iran," pointing to a series of recent actions by Abu Dhabi. The report did not identify the detainees, the circumstances of their arrest, or the reason for their transfer to Israel.

These claims appear to contradict official statements from the Iranian government made on the same day. Hours before the Tabnak report, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Ghaani stated that following contacts between Tehran and Gulf states on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, several Iranian citizens had been released from prison in the Emirates. Ghaani had officially thanked Abu Dhabi authorities for this action. As of now, no official confirmation of the transfer claims has been issued by the governments of the UAE, Israel, or the Iranian Foreign Ministry.