Anwar Gargash, a senior official from the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the need to create a regional strategic vision that places Gulf countries at the center of security negotiations with Iran. He noted that these countries should not only be in a position of receiving attacks from Iran while Tehran is in talks with the United States. Gargash also predicted that the war with Iran would continue for a long time and that Iranian society would enter a period of instability.
Continuing Conflicts and Internal Instability
Gargash, who is the diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, discussed the UAE's relations with Iran, competition with Saudi Arabia, and the war in Yemen in an interview with the editor of a media outlet in New York. He said: "What I see is a prolonged conflict, not necessarily with the same intensity, because if we really look at the conflict since last February, the intensities have changed, but the conflict itself has continued."
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The Need for a Change in Security Approach
This Emirati official described the present time as one filled with uncertainty that could be accompanied by instability within Iran, while emphasizing the importance of diplomacy and good relations with its neighbor. He said: "We have also realized that we must face an unstable Iran for some time." Gargash added: "Iranians see themselves as a regional hegemon. They prefer to discuss strategic issues with the United States. We need a new mindset that such negotiations should also take place at the Iranian-Arab level. The region cannot go from one crisis to another."
In July, the last direct negotiations between the United States and Iran took place, providing a roadmap for a ceasefire as well as discussions on Iran's nuclear program and freedom of passage in the Strait of Hormuz. Gargash stated that Iran must "agree" to any new deal to end the war and declared that "non-migration" is particularly important for the UAE.
Gargash also referred to the competition between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, stating: "Our areas of interest and those of Saudi Arabia far exceed any disagreements we have. We have had differing views on regional issues, especially in Yemen, but ultimately we need Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue to resolve the crisis."
This Emirati official further referred to efforts to strengthen cooperation among the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries and expressed concern that the influence of the Arab world and regional countries in the current war has been minimal. He said: "We have missed the opportunity to create an effective position from the Gulf Cooperation Council."
Gargash also emphasized the need for Gulf countries to make renewed efforts to establish a united position in the current war, stating: "Dialogue as one voice will make the region stronger."
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