U.A.E. Halts Trade Ties With Iran and Says It Was Targeted With Missiles

The United Arab Emirates said it is halting all trade and financial transactions with Iran, increasing economic pressure on the Islamic Republic, soon after accusing Iran of launching ballistic missiles toward the Emirates. The decision was made “in light of regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security,” Afra Al Hameli, a spokeswoman for the Emirati Foreign Ministry, said in a statement late on Tuesday. She added that the Emirates was “firmly committed to safeguarding the integrity of the international financial system.” The Emirates, located just 50 miles from Iran across the Persian Gulf, has nurtured close economic and cultural ties with the Islamic Republic for decades, despite political tensions between the two countries. Dubai, the Emirates’ largest city, has long been a major trade hub for Iran, and analysts say it has been key to Iranian efforts to evade sanctions , which has elicited complaints and pressure from American authorities. Emirati officials say that they crack down on any sanctions violations when they find them. Trade between the two countries was worth roughly $28 billion in 2024, when the Emirates was Iran’s largest source of imports — ferrying electronics, precious metals and other goods to the Islamic Republic — according to World Trade Organization data . It is unclear if the United States played a role in Emirates’ decision to halt trade with Iran. The announcement came hours after a call from President Trump to the Emirati ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe .