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UAE cuts Iran ties
The United Arab Emirates halted all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice, with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying the move was taken in response to regional escalations that threaten regional and international peace and security.
“halted all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice”
Afra Al Hameli, Director of the Strategic Communications Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected allegations about the status of the UAE’s economic relationship with Iran while reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to dialogue, cooperation and regional integration.
The decision followed the UAE Defense Ministry’s report that it detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, with one missile falling outside Emirati territorial waters and the other falling within those waters.
The UAE Defense Ministry later said the two missiles were targeting "maritime navigation," and the UAE Foreign Ministry said it had halted trade and financial transactions with Iran until further notice in response to the same "regional escalations."
Missiles, denials, and diplomacy
The UAE’s missile-related account was paired with denials from Tehran, as the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied responsibility for the attack late Tuesday, local time.
In the UAE’s framing, the Defense Ministry said it detected two ballistic missiles around 9 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EDT) and later said the missiles were targeting "maritime navigation," while the Foreign Ministry linked the trade suspension to "regional escalations."
The diplomatic backdrop included U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that there are "no ongoing or scheduled talks or exchanges" with Iran, as the 60-day deadline for negotiations to end the Iran war expired on August 18 without progress.
In parallel, Infobae reported that UAE president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a call from Trump, with WAM saying the leaders discussed "various aspects of cooperation and working together" and analyzed the situation in the Middle East region.
What comes next
The UAE’s suspension was described as remaining in place until further notice, with Afra Al Hameli saying the halt would protect the integrity of the international financial system and comply with international law and global standards.
“Residents received an emergency alert on their phone for the first time in over five weeks”
Khaleej Times added that residents received an emergency alert on their phone for the first time in over five weeks, and that the alert was lifted within a few minutes after the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the attacks were targeting maritime navigation.
The broader regional stakes were framed through the Strait of Hormuz, where Khaleej Times said both Iran and US claimed control and where Trump shared a map titled 'New US Territories' with the strait circled.
Against that backdrop, LatinUS reported that the UAE broke diplomatic relations with Iran after detecting two Iranian ballistic missiles toward its territory, while also repeating Afra Al Hameli’s statement that "all commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran have been suspended until further notice."
