Iran Secretly Sought UAE Aid Amid Tensions, Axios Reports
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly severed trade relations with Iran following a secret diplomatic mission where Iran requested assistance with food and medicine supplies and sought to ease economic pressure. According to Axios, an Iranian delegation visited Abu Dhabi on August 11 without prior public announcement to discuss improving bilateral relations and reducing regional tensions. During these closed-door talks, Iran also requested the UAE's help in facilitating the import of food and medicine and asked Abu Dhabi not to join U.S. sanctions against Tehran.
The UAE immediately rejected the request to distance itself from U.S. sanctions policy. However, shortly after these negotiations, the situation escalated dramatically. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intensified attacks on tankers belonging to the UAE's National Oil Company attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. An Axios source indicated that these actions caused significant discontent in Abu Dhabi, which viewed Iran's behavior as particularly provocative given the recent diplomatic overtures.
In response to the IRGC's actions, the UAE authorities allegedly decided to completely halt trade relations with Iran. This move signifies a sharp deterioration in relations, directly contradicting Iran's objective of securing economic aid and improving ties with the UAE. The report follows previous news that the U.S. has developed a new plan against Iran with a key role for Israel.
