Iran Accuses UAE of Direct Role in April Strikes, Jeopardizing BRICS Communique
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 14
Iran Accuses UAE of Direct Role in April Strikes, Jeopardizing BRICS Communique
14 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 14
Abbas Araqchi told a BRICS meeting in New Delhi that the UAE was directly involved in military operations against Iran and failed to condemn the attacks when they began.
The accusation sharpened a dispute that flared a day after Abu Dhabi denied Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that he visited the UAE during the Iran war.
Iranian state media said Araqchi warned that U.S. bases and ties with Israel would not guarantee Emirati security, while also calling for peaceful coexistence and fuller understanding between the two neighbors.
The charge echoes a Wall Street Journal report that the UAE carried out operations on Iran in early April, after the war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
Iranian media said the clash with the UAE could block a final BRICS foreign ministers' communique, with Tehran citing "problems and communications" over the Emirati presence.
As diplomacy fails and threats escalate, is a direct confrontation between major world powers in the Middle East inevitable?
Will the UAE's deepening military alliance with the U.S. and Israel bring security or provoke a larger regional war?
With its economic hubs under fire, can the UAE's model as a stable global business hub survive this war?
2026 BRICS Diplomatic Breakdown: Iran-UAE Accusations, Gulf War Escalation, and Global Economic Fallout
Overview
At the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on May 14, 2026, Iran's Foreign Minister Araqchi publicly accused the UAE of direct involvement in military operations against Iran, escalating regional tensions. Araqchi claimed the UAE was an 'Active Partner' in the Israel-Iran conflict and criticized its failure to condemn attacks on Iran. These accusations built on earlier Iranian claims and were reinforced by reports that the UAE had secretly conducted strikes on Iran. While Gulf nations denied allowing US attacks from their territories, the crisis exposed deep divisions within BRICS and highlighted the growing complexity of Gulf regional dynamics.