A senior Emirati official says he is cautiously hopeful about U.S.-Iran negotiations, pointing to progress made in recent days with Qatar acting as a mediator. Still, concerns about a return to fighting remain widespread across the Middle East.
“We see some progress,” said Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the UAE Federal National Council’s Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee. He hopes the two sides can build trust and find a political way to avoid war, though he said he could not rule out a different outcome.
Iran reportedly sent Washington a new nuclear proposal through Qatar on Nov. 5. Tehran has also maintained that the U.S. must meet seven conditions before talks can move forward, including easing sanctions and ending its naval blockade.
President Donald Trump has left open the possibility of further military action, while Iran has warned it could widen its retaliation if fighting resumes.
The prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough is welcome in the UAE, which came under thousands of Iranian missile and drone attacks earlier this year. But officials say optimism does not mean letting down their guard.
“We plan for the worst. We hope for the best,” Al Nuaimi said, adding that the country works to stay ready for threats and other challenges.
That mix of hope and caution was apparent across the Emirates. In Dubai, daily life seemed strikingly ordinary despite the uncertainty. Restaurant terraces were full, tourists crowded the streets and people gathered to watch a fountain show set to a mix of Arabic music and Western pop.
Businesses remained open, international visitors continued to arrive, and the city maintained its familiar air of prosperity. It was a similar scene in Abu Dhabi, where an international energy conference opened amid tensions with Iran and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Executives from ExxonMobil and Chevron canceled planned appearances at the conference days beforehand, citing security concerns. Inside the exhibition halls, though, delegates from around the world met to discuss investment, announce partnerships and consider technology that could help address energy challenges.
The contrast reflected the UAE’s effort to keep its economy moving while adapting to a sharply changed security climate.
The country has already suffered from its proximity to the conflict. More than 3,000 Iranian missiles and drones targeted the Emirates during the war, causing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. No new Iranian attacks had hit the UAE since May, but the possibility of renewed confrontation has kept the country on alert.
Al Nuaimi said the UAE sees itself as committed to peace, but will defend its people and sovereignty if attacked. He also distinguished Iran’s government from its citizens, describing the Iranian people as a neighbor with a rich history and values who deserve respect.
He pushed back on the idea that the UAE’s relationship with Washington should be viewed mainly through the current conflict or the policies of a particular administration. The relationship, he said, is a lasting strategic partnership with the United States and its people.
That cooperation extends beyond defense to education, medicine, technology, energy and investment, Al Nuaimi said. He added that the UAE is prepared to work with successive U.S. administrations.
Those ties have taken on added importance as Gulf countries face threats to regional infrastructure and international shipping. At the energy conference’s opening ceremony on Nov. 2, UAE Industry and Advanced Technology Minister and ADNOC chief executive Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said the country’s resilience came from years of preparation, not a response improvised during the crisis.
Officials and analysts have repeatedly said the UAE intends to remain a dependable international partner, even if tensions escalate again.
Mohammed Baharoon, director general of the Emirati research center B’huth, said the confrontation with Iran has broadened the meaning of national security. “Our resilience now becomes our deterrence,” he said.
That approach, Baharoon explained, involves more than intercepting missiles and drones. It also means protecting energy supplies, ensuring access to food, keeping infrastructure running and sustaining international trade during a crisis.
He described the conflict as three connected confrontations: the initial U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, Iran’s subsequent attacks on Gulf states and Tehran’s disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Baharoon called Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council members unprovoked. He also said the shipping disruption amounts to a confrontation with the global economy, with consequences for countries well beyond the Middle East.
Despite his criticism of Tehran, Baharoon said Iran should not be treated as a permanent enemy. Its population, economic potential and strategic location could make it an important part of regional prosperity if its leadership moved away from confrontation.
The UAE now faces the task of preparing for another possible conflict without giving up the diplomatic and economic ties it has built over decades. Dubai’s busy streets and Abu Dhabi’s crowded conference halls suggest a country determined to keep moving forward, even with the threat of war close by. Whether the latest talks lead to a breakthrough or renewed fighting, the Emirates is counting on its resilience to help it through the next crisis while it continues working toward its longer-term goals.
