May 14, 2026
Iran accuses UAE of collusion with IsraelIran accuses UAE of collusion with Israel at BRICS foreign ministers meeting
Iran and the UAE clashed at a BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on May 14, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemning the UAE for allegedly colluding with Israel and hosting US military facilities used in strikes against Iran.
The dispute centered on the UAE's denial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that he visited the country during the ongoing Iran war, prompting Iran to call on the UAE to "accept responsibility" for its actions.
The tensions threaten to complicate BRICS efforts to reach consensus on West Asia policy.
Iranian Position
Iran views the UAE's alignment with Israel and hosting of US military infrastructure as a betrayal of regional solidarity and a direct threat to Iranian security. Iranian officials argue that strikes on US facilities in the UAE were acts of legitimate self-defense and that countries hosting such installations bear responsibility for their consequences.
UAE and Western-aligned Perspective
The UAE has sought to distance itself from the conflict by denying Netanyahu's visit claims and maintaining diplomatic channels with multiple parties. The country's position reflects its effort to balance regional relationships while avoiding direct involvement in the Iran-Israel confrontation.
- The UAE and Israel formally normalized relations in 2020, making the UAE one of the first Arab states to do so without a Palestinian peace agreement.
- BRICS has struggled to present unified positions on Middle East conflicts due to differing member interests: Russia and China often oppose Western interventions, while India and South Africa maintain more balanced stances.
US-Iran-Israel War
US, Israeli, and Iranian forces remain in a direct military confrontation that has spread across the Gulf, with the Strait of Hormuz and regional energy infrastructure at the center of the conflict.
