The UAE says the war between the US and Iran will not hold its energy exports hostage, pointing to new ports, pipelines and rail routes as proof. Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash detailed the diversification at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi and warned that rebuilding trust with Tehran could take decades.
Iran fired missiles at UAE territory and attacked its oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the US, but the UAE says the disruption will not stop its trade. Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi on Monday, presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said, "Our energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity."
Building routes around the strait
Gargash said the UAE has been expanding port capacity along its eastern coast, alongside pipelines, railways and trade routes for alternative corridors. The Habshan-Fujairah pipeline already bypasses the strait, linking inland oil fields to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman. By early June, the UAE had used routes like it to recover oil exports to roughly 85% of pre-war levels. The UAE also suspended all financial transactions with Iran in August, formalizing the economic rupture the conflict had already caused.
A rift that may take decades to heal
Gargash acknowledged relations with Iran could eventually recover, but warned that rebuilding trust after the attacks could take decades. He also criticized Gulf Arab states for failing to mount a coordinated response to Iran, saying they had been unable to translate shared concerns into a unified strategy. Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson raised similar concerns at the forum, arguing Gulf states should not rely solely on their partnership with the US for security.
Hormuz remains the sticking point
Iran followed through on its threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, once a conduit for a fifth of global energy supplies, sending oil and other energy prices soaring and sparking a global economic crisis.
The waterway's status remains a central obstacle in talks between Washington and Tehran, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, with Iran claiming the strait belongs to Iran and Oman, a position Gulf states broadly reject. The six-month conflict was sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and a preliminary ceasefire reached in June has since unraveled. Gargash said any long-term resolution must include credible guarantees against further Iranian attacks on Gulf Arab states.
Sources: Commodities & Futures News, Crypto Briefing
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