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 5:24 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

MBZ

UAE president meets US national security adviser amid regional tensions

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s trip to Abu Dhabi comes amid US military maneuvers aimed at countering Iran in the Gulf.

United Arab Emirates

From Beijing to Chengdu, UAE’s ENOC establishes first China jet fuel network

The Dubai government-owned oil and gas company said the expansion will extend to strategic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu.

United Arab Emirates

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

UK sanctions entities in Turkey, UAE, Iran for alleged role in Ukraine war

It is not the first time Britain has sanctioned companies from these countries for their alleged role in the 18-month-old conflict.

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

International business development is next challenge for UAE's ADNOC

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has a range of corporate objectives, including oil production growth, self-sufficiency in natural gas and a net zero emissions target by 2045.

Gerald Kepes

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy trends

Barbie movie poster

Culture

Saudi, UAE theaters to screen Barbie this week, despite earlier push to delay

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar have changed the release date of the record grossing film for a second time to Aug. 10, and the film will open in Saudi Arabia Aug. 9.

United Arab Emirates

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

UAE’s ADNOC buys stake in Azerbaijan gas field

The move follows a wind and solar energy deal between an Emirati firm and Azerbaijan.

AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images

Arab moviegoers wait to see 'Barbie' as UAE, Saudi screenings loom

The summer box office hit is maintaining its delayed premier date of Aug. 31 in the UAE, Al-Monitor confirmed with Vox Cinemas.

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan arrives at the Elysee Palace for a working lunch with France's President, in Paris, on July 18, 2022. - Emmanuel Macron welcomes the United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, nicknamed MBZ, at the Elysee Palace on July 18, 2022, whose state visit "will confirm the strong ties" between France and the rich Gulf oil country, the Elysee Palace announced on July 14, 2022. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MA

Iran president Raisi invites UAE's MBZ to visit Tehran

The invite was extended on the same day that Iran conducted a naval drill on Abu Musa Island, which is disputed with the UAE.

United Arab Emirates

A picture taken on Oct. 23, 2018, shows Lubna Olayan, CEO and Deputy Chairperson of Olayan Financing.

Saudi Arabia, UAE lead Forbes’ 2023 Arab family business ranking

Although Saudi Arabia and the UAE dominated the list, with 33 and 29 of the top 100 spots respectively, Egypt’s Mansour Group sat in first place, with the UAE’s Al-Futtaim Group in second and Saudi Arabia’s only female-led company, Olayan Financing Company, at third.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Gulf investment in UK property expected to reach $3.2 B in 2024

Middle Eastern investors are capitalising on lower property valuations and those investors are likely to refinance when interest rates start falling, the Islamic bank said.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

Japan’s Nomura subsidiary receives crypto license in UAE

The crypto sector is booming in the United Arab Emirates thanks to clear regulations on virtual assets.

A bag of rice is unloaded from a truck at an Indian grains depot near New Delhi on August 27, 2013, one day after the Indian parliament passed a flagship 18-billion-dollar programme to provide subsidised food to the poor that is intended to "wipe out" endemic hunger and malnutrition in the aspiring superpower. Despite decades of fast economic growth, India still struggles to feed its 1.2-billion population adequately with more than 40 percent of children under five malnourished, according to a major survey

Analysis

UAE rice ban after major exporter India spikes global supply fears

The UAE was the world's 16th-largest importer of rice in 2021 and the majority of it came from India.

By Salim A. Essaid