UAE warns further US-Iran conflict will complicate regional tensions

Investing.com -- Further military confrontation between the United States and Iran would add complexity to an already tense situation, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates president, said on Friday.

Gargash emphasized concerns about potential Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning it would set a serious precedent and become politicized. Any changes to the strait would have serious complications extending to Europe, he said.

The UAE is urging European nations to recognize this as a connected issue affecting their energy and trade rather than a distant problem, Gargash said.

While the UAE seeks a political solution, Gargash expressed worry that such a resolution might create additional complications in the region. He noted that the European initiative on Hormuz is designed to activate after the conflict ends, though it remains unclear what the initiative would accomplish.

On the UAE's departure from OPEC, Gargash said the decision had been under consideration for three years. "We see we are close to the autumn of the hydrocarbon age and as a result if you have the ability to produce and generate income and use it then that's what you should do," Gargash said. He added that the UAE was losing production capacity under OPEC constraints.

Gargash identified Iran's nuclear program as the UAE's primary concern, elevated from second or third position. "We see that Iran is capable of using any weapon that it has in its hand that is what we learned," he said.

The adviser stressed the importance of finding diplomatic solutions while addressing root problems to avoid future complications. He said the U.S. has become central to defense calculations for every Gulf country.

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