In a briefing to Euronews, the UAE president's diplomatic advisor called for a durable regional security solution beyond a ceasefire with the US as central to the Gulf’s security, as “there is no trust” in the current Iranian regime, but also sees a “more prominent Israeli influence in the Gulf.”
A ceasefire in the Iran war is not enough as a solution, but what is needed is a broader security architecture for the region, including weapons systems and regional conduct, as well as a stable security mechanism for maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, top United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash told Euronews.
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While the UAE is not ready to act as a maritime force, it would join any US-led or international effort to secure navigation in the vital global waterway, the UAE president's diplomatic advisor said.
In a briefing with Euronews in Abu Dhabi, Gargash delivered one of the clearest assessments yet of how the United Arab Emirates is navigating escalating regional tensions, warning of long-term geopolitical consequences while underscoring the country’s resilience and strategic positioning.
Beyond immediate security concerns, Gargash emphasised that any resolution to the current conflict must address underlying structural risks rather than deliver a temporary pause in hostilities.
“From our perspective, we don't want to see more escalation, but we don't want a ceasefire that does not address some of the main issues that will create a much more dangerous environment in the region,” Gargash told Euronews.
“We also want to see an end to this conflict, but an end to this conflict should not also create a continuous instability in the region,” the diplomatic advisor added.
His most pointed remarks were reserved for Iran’s leadership, drawing a distinction between the state and its governing system stating that “we don’t want animosity with Iran, but with this regime, there is no trust.”
“The regime is fighting for the regime. The regime is not fighting for the country. Any normal regime will not accept the sort of destruction that they are seeing… only to prove that they have resisted,” the UAE diplomatic advisor said.
Formulating the concrete UAE position towards the current military and diplomatic clashes, Gargash said any solution for the future must include Iran’s neighbours who have been heavily attacked by Tehran’s regime over the last month, with the UAE absorbing the largest volume of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
In a significant acknowledgement, Gargash included “nuclear” in the list of challenges shaping any future outcome must address what he called “the usual issues” which are “the nuclear, the missiles and drones, which are still raining on us and on other countries.”
“And then, if Iran also wants to see a non-belligerence agreement, that agreement has to extend to everybody. It is not only American-Israeli actions against Iran, but it has to be also Iran's belligerence against its neighbours. And, when Iranians speak about reparations, it also works here,” Gargash added.
The strategic implications, he warned, are likely to reshape alliances rather than diminish them, with added poignancy to Israel’s influence in the Gulf.
“I believe the Iranian strategy will actually concretise the American role in the Gulf, moving forward. It will not reduce it. We will also see Israeli influence become more prominent in the Gulf, not less,” Gargash told Euronews.
And in a clear message to the Iranian regime, as to Tehran’s demands that the Gulf countries eliminate the US presence, Gargash underlined that the UAE’s “main security partner is the United States and we will double down on our relationship with the United States."
“The American position of supporting us and helping our capabilities in terms of air defence has been exceptional.”
Apart from the US support, the UAE official also highlighted the level of international backing the country is receiving, pointing to a network of partners reinforcing its defensive posture, saying that “we are very, very thankful to many countries that are helping us, many countries are standing with us.”
“France has been a steadfast partner for us. The French position has been very good,” Gargash underlined.
'We are ready to play our part in Hormuz'
The global crisis of the Hormuz Strait blockade remains the immediate priority, and Gargash outlined the UAE's response to growing speculation about the Gulf countries’ options for intervening to unblock the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.
While the UAE is not positioning itself as a unilateral security actor, it is signalling readiness to operate within a broader coalition framework.
“We are not ready to act as a maritime force, but we will join any American-led or international effort to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. We are ready to play our part,” the UAE official told Euronews.
He added that maritime security must form part of any wider diplomatic settlement. “This issue (Hormuz) has to be part and parcel of the settlement of any conflict, with clear agreement on that,” he said.
“For us, the Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage by one country,” Gargash said, framing the issue as one that extends far beyond regional politics.
“This is extremely important for the global economy and global trade and it is an issue that is extremely important for everybody. The Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage by any country,” Gargash said.
'The UAE will come back very strong'
The UAE’s president's diplomatic advisor insisted that the country is resilient in the face of the evolving crisis and described the current situation as long anticipated but rarely expected to materialise.
“If you asked me over the last 20 years, what is the sort of unlikely worst-case scenario that the UAE can face, I would have said a full Iranian attack on the UAE. And this is what we are really seeing," Gargash said.
"This was the worst-case scenario. And now, when the worst-case scenario is happening … we are coping very well, and we are finding out that we are very resilient, and we are finding out that we are very resourceful,” he told Euronews as the UAE is in full offensive to signal to the world that it can withstand the current crisis.
“The fundamentals are very strong for a UAE comeback. We will come back, we will come back very strong, but we will have to do some work also,” Gargash said.
Taken together, the UAE’s position reflects a dual-track approach: reinforcing immediate security alliances while advocating for a more durable regional settlement.