The UAE and other Arab states must seek to emphasise common ground with Iran rather than focusing on disagreements, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said on Tuesday.
“From a 'glass half full' perspective, we can see that the areas of co-operation are way bigger than the areas of disagreement with Iran,” Dr Gargash told the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. “This is part of our dialogue with Tehran. We understand there are certain issues where we don’t see eye-to-eye but there are many more where we do. Let’s work on these areas.”
He noted that Iran’s policy shift towards creating strong regional relations is an encouraging development. “We must respect Iran’s decisions that are sovereign," he said in the Indian capital. "At the same time, we believe that by creating the right environment, that in itself builds more confidence."
Dr Gargash visited Iran last week to deliver a letter from US President Donald Trump to Iran's clerical establishment. The letter, an attempt to prompt talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, was handed to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The UAE, a key Middle East security partner of Washington and host to US troops, also maintains ties with Tehran despite past tensions.
Geostrategic shifts in the Middle East
Dr Gargash highlighted that the Middle East has gone through “geostrategic earthquakes" in recent years. “Everything we do has to be de-escalatory,” he said. "Everything we have to do is more communication."
Deadly wars in 2023/24 between Israel and Iran’s proxies in Gaza and Lebanon have blighted the Middle East and led to direct confrontations between Israel and Iran and tension between Israel and Yemen’s Houthi rebels – with the latter ongoing.
The US under Mr Trump has launched a new campaign of intense air strikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Attacks at the weekend killed at least 53 people, including children, and injured about 100. In revenge, Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on US naval vessels this week.
“We have no appetite to go back to the war in Yemen,” said Dr Gargash. "We have an interest in the Red Sea but we think that there are states that have greater interest in Red Sea access and accessibility."
Future of Abraham Accords
Dr Gargash said the reason for the enthusiasm surrounding the Abraham Accords was that they were initiated during the first Trump administration. He said the agreement was an example of the growing importance of economic and logistical co-operation across regions.
“For us, it is extremely important to work on what I would call logistical routes - whether these are horizontal or vertical, north to south,” he added.
Israel and the UAE established diplomatic relations as part of the Abraham Accords, which were brokered by the US and signed in September 2020. The historic agreement marked the creation of diplomatic links between Israel and an Arab country for the first time since with Jordan in 1994.
The current Trump administration is seeking to expand the Abraham Accords. Mr Trump has reaffirmed this commitment, aiming to include additional Arab and Muslim-majority countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, in the agreements with Israel. This will be at the “front and centre” of US administration’s policy, Dr Gargash said.
UAE’s role in global affairs
The UAE similarly recognises the value of strategic autonomy, noted Dr Gargash, and Abu Dhabi has an independent perspective on Middle Eastern developments, he added. “However, strategic autonomy is not without limits; it must be carefully navigated,” he said.
The adviser to Sheikh Mohamed noted that the evolving global landscape shows "there are no permanent alliances – aligning too closely with a particular camp can lead to complications when the dynamics shift. This approach is essential for a sustainable and effective foreign policy."
Gulf states, including the UAE, have increasingly adopted a neutral stance on various international conflicts, positioning themselves as trusted mediators. This approach has enhanced their global standing and allowed them to enable dialogue without direct involvement in disputes.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
