United Arab Emirates - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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United Arab Emirates

April 13, 2026

Abu Dhabi 3:55 am

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TOPSHOT - People watch from a street as a tall smoke plume billows following an explosion in the Fujairah industrial zone on March 3, 2026. Iran's strikes on Gulf neighbours since February 28, following the US-Israeli attack, forced the UAE to shut its airspace, blindsiding travellers who thought they were headed to one of the region's safest holiday destinations. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)

UAE says no more 'niceties' with Iran, seeks clarity on fragile truce terms

The UAE said Iran must pay “compensation” for damages incurred during the conflict.

United Arab Emirates

Firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire following an Israeli strike at the Corniche al-Mazraa neighbourhood of Beirut on April 8, 2026.

Iran hits Gulf, threatens truce as Israel escalates in Lebanon: What to know

Iranian attacks continued in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hours after a ceasefire between Iran and the US was announced.

The Dubai skyline with the landmark Burj Khalifa skyscraper (R) is pictured as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport on March 16, 2026. Flights were gradually resuming at Dubai airport on March 16, previously the world's busiest for international flights, the airport operator said, after a "drone-related incident" sparked a fuel tank fire nearby, as Iran kept up its Gulf attacks. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /

Gulf nations in line of fire brace for Iran escalation: What to know

A bridge linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain was briefly closed as Iran escalates its attacks in the Gulf ahead of a looming US deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

AirAsia stays course on Bahrain hub as Iran war clouds aviation growth plans

AirAsia aircraft with two engines landing on Kota Kinabalu International airport runway, Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia, March 4, 2017.

Analysis

Hostage to Hormuz, can Gulf rewire future energy flows to bypass Iran’s chokepoint?

A police speed boat patrols the port as oil tankers and high speed crafts sit anchored at Muscat Anchorage near the Strait of Hormuz on March 30, 2026 in Muscat, Oman.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Iran strikes Gulf again, hitting Kuwait refinery as UAE shuts gas hub

Smoke rises from an area of Kuwait's international airport after a reported drone strike on April 1, 2026. Kuwait's civil aviation authority said that the Gulf state's international airport had come under an Iranian drone attack that led to "a large fire" at a fuel depot. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) / Kuwait OUT / KUWAIT OUT

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 16, 2023. (Photo by Ilya PITALEV / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo by ILYA PITALEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Western diplomats visit UAE to discuss Russia ties, Ukraine sanctions

Western officials landed in the UAE on Monday, reportedly in a bid to keep computer chips, electronic parts and dual-use products away from Russia.

United Arab Emirates

UAE NZ

UAE trade offensive continues, this time with New Zealand deal

The UAE is looking to secure its sixth trade agreement of the year as it increases its non-oil trade globally, with intentions to reach $1.09 billion by 2031.

United Arab Emirates

President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on August 22, 2023. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP) (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil set to capitalize on Saudi-UAE competition as investments take shape

South America’s largest economy has been actively engaging with the UAE and Saudi Arabia under newly reelected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Sheikh Mohammed bin Radhid Al-Maktoum 1

UAE’s non-oil trade hits record $340B in first half of 2023

Trade is set to increase after the BRICS bloc of major developing economies announced last week that the United Arab Emirates was among the list of countries invited to join the group.

United Arab Emirates

A general view during MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM 2021 on Dec. 19, 2021, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's SRMG invests in music streamer Anghami, Spotify’s Middle East rival

Beirut-founded Anghami is the most popular music streaming platform in the MENA region, with 120 million registered users, up from 75 million in 2021.

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Hungary inks deal for Qatari gas

Hungary and Qatar have signed a gas exportation deal as Europe diversifies its energy sources.

Then-Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (C) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and Indian President Pranab Mukherjee (L) before a ceremonial reception at the Indian President's house in New Delhi on Jan. 25, 2017.

How significant is India's first ever use of rupees for UAE oil payment?

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) received the rupee payment of an undisclosed amount from Indian Oil Corp., according to an Indian Embassy statement acquired by Reuters.

United Arab Emirates

A model of the Tempest fighter jet, which is hoped to be manufactured by 2035.

Analysis

Why is Japan opposed to Saudi Arabia joining UK-Italy GCAP fighter jet alliance?

Japan is concerned about future problems with Saudi Arabia as one of four decision-makers on the Global Combat Air Program's board with veto power, according to experts.

By Salim A. Essaid

Energy Minister Israel Katz (R) meets UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al Jaber in Abu Dhabi, Aug. 13, 2023.

Israel’s energy minister visits UAE, touts trilateral deal with Jordan

Senior officials in Israel, the UAE, Jordan and the United States hope to have the final agreements of the Prosperity Project signed at the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai this upcoming November.

Emiratis work at the Middle East's largest technology exhibition, GITEX, which opened in Dubai Oct, 3, 2004.

What is Emiratization and how did UAE recover $600,000 from 'fake hires?'

The UAE recovered $600,000 worth of payments made by private companies to 107 Emiratis for fake jobs created in an attempt to fulfill Emiratization quotas.

United Arab Emirates

A worker performs a routine inspection of filters at the Hadera Desalination Facility, in the central Israeli coastal town of Hadera on April 3, 2002. - Israel, a leader in making seawater drinkable, plans to pump excess output from its desalination plants into the Sea of Galilee, depleted by overuse and threatened by climate change. Israel now plans to tackle the challenge by reversing the water flow through its vast network of pumps, pipes and tunnels dating to the 1960s, the National Water Carrier. (Phot

Middle East Water Security: Competition heats up as resources become scarcer

The Middle East and North Africa region is “the most water-scarce region in the world” and is home to 11 of the 17 most water-stressed countries globally.

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

UAE's ADNOC to expand gas processing with $3.6 billion contract

ADNOC Gas announced it would award the contract to a joint venture between ADQ state-fund-owned National Petroleum Construction Company and Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas.

United Arab Emirates