The UAE has taken steps to de-escalate tension with Iran to avoid confrontation and build confidence, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa, said on Monday.
Regional tensions have increased between Iran and Gulf states as Tehran expands its influence in conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
“We are working hard to build communication and bridges with all countries, even those who we have disagreements with,” Dr Gargash said during the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate.
Our recent outreach is to find shared interest around a collective future and prosperity
Dr Anwar Gargash,
diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa
For months the UAE has been supporting the idea of greater engagement with Iran.
“We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s interference in Iraq, Syria and Yemen and have taken steps to de-escalate tensions. We don't have any interest in confrontation as the region will pay the price for decades to come,” Dr Gargash said.
He said dialogue was the only way to avoid confrontation in the region and that further escalation would have a devastating effect, especially when governments are trying to consolidate economic recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We can build together greater confidence between us and make progress for a sustainable status quo. It will be better served for Iran to work co-operatively with its neighbours,” he said.
“Our recent outreach is to find shared interest around a collective future and prosperity."
For years the UAE has viewed Iran as a destabilising force in the region. Iranian security forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and allied militias have engaged in attacks on oil tankers in vital global shipping lanes, including off the UAE coast, and a major attack on energy plants in Saudi Arabia.
The US has blamed Iran for the attacks but Tehran denies all involvement.
The UAE has long pushed for countries in the region to be at the table for negotiations on a future nuclear deal after former US president Donald Trump’s administration abandoned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018.
It believes the pact was flawed for not addressing Iran's missile programme and network of regional proxies.
Instead, the Emirates has pushed for the inclusion of the Iranian ballistic missile programme and support for regional armed groups to be included in a future deal.
“The pandemic has not changed everything, challenges before its emergence still exist but it has served us to reorder our priorities,” Dr Gargash said.
Coming out of the pandemic, the UAE will "be stepping up multilateral dialogue to address our common challenges", he said. It will be the only way to avoid a regional cold war, he said.
Dr Gargash's comments came before the US envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, visits the UAE and other regional states on Thursday to discuss a "broad range of concerns" about Tehran before the next round of indirect nuclear talks.
The negotiations, which aim to restore the deal between Iran and six world powers, are set to resume this month. After a period of stalling, the Iranian government agreed to return to talks in Vienna on November 29.
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Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
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Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
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SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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