{
  "id": 6135807,
  "title": "Rebuilding trust with Iran will be ‘mountain to climb', says Gargash",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/rebuilding-trust-with-iran-will-be-mountain-to-climb-says-gargash-6135807",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T11:16:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2026/09/07/rebuilding-trust-with-iran-will-be-mountain-to-climb-says-gargash/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, has stated that rebuilding trust with Iran will be a challenging endeavor, even if relations can be restored. Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Gargash noted that trust is a \"mountain\" that the Gulf states will have to climb. While he acknowledged that relations can be restored more quickly than trust, he emphasized that trust is essential for a durable and meaningful relationship.\n\nGargash argued that Iran's aggression against Gulf states was a strategic miscalculation, which has damaged its relationships and deepened its isolation. He stressed that the way out of the conflict lies in rebuilding bridges, pursuing de-escalation, and working towards a durable political settlement. Gargash urged any future dialogue with Iran to go beyond transactional issues and address broader strategic questions, such as security, non-interference, freedom of navigation, economic cooperation, and rebuilding confidence.\n\nIn the recent six-month war between Iran and Gulf states, Iran launched approximately 3,300 missiles and drones, primarily targeting civilian infrastructure in all six Gulf states. Although Gulf states intercepted many of these attacks, some managed to breach their air defenses and cause significant damage. In Kuwait, the attacks targeted power and water facilities, including desalination plants, while in Qatar, a missile strike severely damaged an LNG production hub. Additionally, Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain disrupted energy flows and raised oil prices.\n\nGargash warned of a more complicated Gulf region and a challenging geopolitical environment. He emphasized that the UAE would continue to pursue strategic autonomy, but he acknowledged that the past six months of the Iran war will reshape the region's geostrategic landscape and alter its politics. The UAE official emphasized that strategic autonomy is not merely a slogan but a rational policy choice grounded in its security and national interest. He also noted that while Gulf states demonstrated strength and resolve in responding to Iran's attacks, their collective response at the regional level was not as effective as it could have been.",
  "summary": "Rebuilding trust with Iran will be a difficult task even if relations can be restored, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said on Monday, after six months of war and Iranian attacks on Gulf states. “Relations can be restored more quickly than trust,” Dr Gargash told the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi . “Trust is a mountain we will have to climb.” He added there was…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}