Iran Condemns UAE Arrests, Rejects Abu Dhabi’s Terror Cell Accusations

Iran rejected the United Arab Emirates’ accusations and condemned the arrest of individuals in the Arab country, framing the move as “baseless” and “groundless.”

“The United Arab Emirates has arrested members of an Iran-linked group that authorities accuse of plotting ‘systematic terrorist and sabotage acts’”

Al Jazeera

In a statement released on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denounced the UAE’s decision to detain people on “vague and groundless excuses,” according to Mehr News Agency.

Al Jazeera

Rudaw.net reported that Iran criticized the UAE after Abu Dhabi detained “more than two dozen individuals a day earlier,” rejecting alleged links to Tehran as “vague and unfounded.”

Mehr News Agency said Baghaei “condemned the groundless accusations leveled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the arrest of several individuals in the Arab country on unfounded pretexts.”

Rudaw.net added that Iranian officials described the arrests as “blame-shifting,” and warned that such measures “will not help build trust among countries in the region.”

The dispute centers on the UAE’s claim that it dismantled a “terrorist organization” connected to Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine, which Rudaw.net said Abu Dhabi linked to Iran’s political-religious framework.

Al Jazeera reported that the UAE arrested members of an Iran-linked group accused of plotting “systematic terrorist and sabotage acts,” and said the State Security Service posted the names and mugshots of 27 alleged members online.

Iran’s response tied the UAE arrests to a broader narrative about accountability for US and Israeli actions, while urging the UAE to avoid retaliatory behavior and return to “good neighborliness.”

Mehr News Agency quoted Esmaeil Baghaei saying that raising “such unfounded claims and engaging in anti-Iranian narratives cannot divert attention from the direct responsibility of sponsors and supporters of US and Israeli aggressors in the military onslaught against Iran.”

Devdiscourse

Rudaw.net similarly reported Baghaei’s warning that “Raising such baseless allegations and engaging in anti-Iran propaganda cannot distract public opinion from the direct responsibility of those who support and back American-Israeli aggressors in their military offensive against Iran.”

Both outlets also emphasized Baghaei’s call for the UAE to respect human rights and human dignity, with Mehr News Agency stating he urged the UAE “to respect human rights and human dignity, avoid retaliatory behavior, and return to the principle of good neighborliness.”

Rudaw.net carried the same set of demands, quoting Baghaei’s caution that the UAE should “uphold human rights and dignity,” avoid “retaliatory behavior,” and “return to the principle of good neighborliness.”

Devdiscourse described the same diplomatic tension, saying Baghaei criticized “baseless allegations” and suggested the actions were intended “to shift focus away from the accountability of U.S. and Israeli actions.”

In the background of the exchange, Al Jazeera described the UAE’s rationale for the arrests as part of a wider security environment in which Tehran has targeted neighbors hosting United States military assets.

The UAE’s allegations, as described by multiple outlets, center on a group Abu Dhabi says is linked to Iran’s Velayat-e Faqih, and on claims about covert operations and recruitment.

“The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson condemned the baseless accusations made by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the arrest of several individuals in the country on unsubstantiated charges”

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Al Jazeera said the State Security Service detained members of a cell linked to Iran’s Velayat-e Faqih (“Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist”)—a doctrine underlying Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and fealty to the supreme religious leader.

Rudaw.net reported that Abu Dhabi said it dismantled a “terrorist organization” connected to Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine and that the state-run Emirati News Agency (WAM) published images of 27 individuals.

Rudaw.net added that the SSD said “investigations revealed that the group is linked to the Wilayat al-Faqih in Iran” and described the doctrine as enshrined in Iran’s constitution, with the supreme leader as both highest political authority and guardian of its religious order.

Al Jazeera stated that the names and mugshots of the 27 alleged members were posted online, and that authorities said they have been charged with “establishing and operating a secret organisation, running it from the UAE, pledging allegiance to foreign entities, and harming national unity and social peace”.

Al Jazeera further reported that the State Security Service said the group collected funds and transferred them to “suspicious foreign entities,” and that it “adopted extremist terrorist ideologies and ideas.”

The UAE case also included accusations of covert “recruitment and indoctrination operations” and meetings inside and outside the country with “terrorist elements and suspicious organisations,” according to Al Jazeera.

The arrests and the Iranian rebuttal are presented within a wider context of US-Israeli conflict with Iran and Tehran’s pressure on neighboring states hosting US assets.

Al Jazeera said the move came “amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran,” and described that Tehran has targeted neighbours hosting United States military assets.

Mehr News Agency

It added that the UAE has “weathered more Iranian strikes than any other country – although most were intercepted,” and said the barrage “rattled a country long seen as a safe haven.”

Al Jazeera also referenced that earlier this month, the UAE said that Iran should pay for damage caused by its Gulf attacks, and it noted that last month the UAE said it arrested at least five members of a “terrorist network” linked to Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Rudaw.net’s account similarly framed the Iranian response as a reaction to Abu Dhabi’s detention tied to Iran’s doctrine, while emphasizing that Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson described the arrests as “blame-shifting.”

Devdiscourse described the same escalation, saying “Tensions have risen between Iran and the United Arab Emirates as Iran condemns the UAE for arresting individuals on allegedly false grounds.”

Mehr News Agency’s statement also tied the UAE’s actions to “anti-Iranian narratives” and said the deflection cannot divert attention from the “military onslaught against Iran.”

The sources show a sharp divergence between Iran’s denial and the UAE’s public security narrative, with each side using the same episode to advance different claims.

“ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Tuesday criticized the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over its detention of more than two dozen individuals a day earlier, rejecting the allegations of links to Tehran as “vague and unfounded”

rudaw.net

Iran’s spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the UAE’s “groundless accusations” and said the arrests were based on “vague and groundless excuses,” while Mehr News Agency reported that he called for respect for “human rights and human dignity” and urged the UAE to avoid “retaliatory behavior.”

rudaw.net

Rudaw.net reported that Baghaei rejected the UAE’s allegations as “vague and unfounded,” and described the UAE’s actions as “blame-shifting” that “will not help build trust among countries in the region.”

By contrast, Al Jazeera described the UAE’s charges in concrete terms, saying authorities posted mugshots and alleged the group was charged with “establishing and operating a secret organisation, running it from the UAE, pledging allegiance to foreign entities, and harming national unity and social peace.”

Al Jazeera also reported that the UAE said the group aimed “to spread misleading ideas among Emirati youth and recruit them to serve foreign loyalties, incite against the country’s foreign policy and internal procedures, and attempt to portray the country in a negative light,” which is a specific claim about intent and targeting.

Rudaw.net added that WAM said investigations found members “adopted extremist terrorist ideologies and beliefs that threaten internal security,” and carried out “recruitment and mobilization operations through secret meetings.”

The dispute also includes a doctrinal framing, with Rudaw.net explaining that the Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine is enshrined in Iran’s constitution and that the role has since early March been held by Mojtaba Khamenei.