United Arab Emirates says military solutions offer no quick off-ramps to crisis with Iran

Manama, Bahrain - The United Arab Emirates' presidential adviser, Anwar Gargash, cautioned on Sunday that military solutions will not provide quick solutions to the crisis with Iran. The current conflict, which began on February 28 with joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel followed by attacks by Iran on Gulf nations, has marked a "watershed year" for the region and the world, Gargash stated at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit.

Gargash emphasized that the UAE and the region are prepared for the possibility of escalation, having already faced over 3,000 drone and ballistic missile attacks from Iran since April, with most being intercepted. Since then, Gulf nations have spent billions on defense capabilities to bolster their defenses. The crisis has strained relations between the U.S. and Iran, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that Iran is ready for both defense and diplomacy, depending on Washington's rationality.

Araghchi hopes for a diplomatic solution that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but he noted that direct talks are not being held with the U.S., and the final outcome depends on the U.S.'s response to Iranian questions.