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As the conflict in West Asia enters Day 13, the United Arab Emirates has voiced deep concern over the continuing escalation, while stressing that Dubai remains steady, functional, and open for business despite Iranian drone and missile attacks.
A well-informed Gulf analyst rejected suggestions that the recent strikes had triggered any meaningful adverse impact on investment flows into Dubai. The analyst said reports claiming that the Emirate's standing as a global financial and commercial hub had been damaged were exaggerated and did not reflect realities on the ground. The well-informed Gulf analyst also indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is viewed in the region as a leader who could play an important role in supporting de-escalation efforts. This assessment, the analyst said, stems from India's strong ties across the region, the significant Indian diaspora in the Gulf, and PM Modi's ability to maintain channels of communication with a broad range of regional and international actors, including both Israel and Iran. The Emirates took particular exception to reports in sections of the British media suggesting that Dubai's days as a financial powerhouse were coming to an end, or that investors and expatriates were beginning to pull out of the city. According to the analyst, such narratives were misleading and disconnected from the resilience that Dubai has consistently demonstrated during periods of regional uncertainty. The analyst underlined that there has been no broad-based movement of investment out of Dubai, nor any sign of businesses shutting down or expatriates resigning and leaving the city in significant numbers. Dubai, the analyst said, continues to function normally, with commercial life, financial activity, and daily operations proceeding as usual. Where departures have occurred, the analyst noted, they largely involve tourists completing their visits or isolated cases of individuals leaving behind financial liabilities, a phenomenon seen previously during times of economic stress, when some abandoned mortgaged cars or properties before departing. At the same time, Emirati authorities have been clear in expressing concern about the widening scope of the conflict. The well-informed Gulf analyst said the scale of the escalation was unexpected, particularly as Oman, too, recently became a target. Dubai has also faced sporadic drone strikes launched by the Islamic regime in Iran. Most of these attacks have been intercepted, while a limited number caused minor damage. The analyst stressed that the UAE remains confident in its resilience and in its capacity to protect its people, economy, and institutions. At the same time, officials believe the current phase will pass, after which the UAE will reassess aspects of its regional relationships in light of recent events. Earlier, the UAE welcomed the adoption by the UN Security Council of a resolution that "condemns in the strongest terms" the unprovoked Iranian missile and drone strikes. The resolution, co-sponsored by a record number of nearly 140 Member States, including India, followed a period of unprovoked Iranian attacks against the UAE, Jordan, and other Gulf Cooperation Council states. Resolution 2817 (2026) was adopted by the 15-member Council with 13 votes in favour and two abstentions from China and the Russian Federation. The conflict, which began on February 28, has now entered its second week and drawn in nearly a dozen nations. Under the terms of the resolution, the Council specifically condemned Iranian strikes on residential areas and civilian objects, and demanded their immediate cessation. The UAE emphasised that the Council has now determined these actions constitute a breach of international law, as well as a serious threat to international peace and security. Throughout history, wars have been linked to rumors and attempts at disruption, making caution against them a national responsibility. The UAE said it stands today in a firm and steadfast position in confronting the Iranian aggression, and alongside this resilience, the media and societal responsibility emerges in countering the enemy's rumors and preventing their dissemination. The UAE says that it stands on the threshold of a decisive overcoming of this crisis, and this does not leave room for rumors to confuse or exaggerate. (ANI)
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